It’s been a little over three months since Mariemont Theatre reopened its doors to the film-going public. Now under the management of Cindependent, the historic movie house has continued to provide the cinematic experiences that audiences expect from their local theater, while also incorporating more unique and specialized programming. This programming includes Queerterion Closet, which is set to host its first screening this weekend on Nov. 14.
“I’ve been wanting to do something like this for a while,” founder Claire Lefton told CityBeat. “I love to share my love of movies, and there’s something fun about being like, ‘Okay city, you have to watch the movie that I want you to watch.’”
Lefton is a recognizable figure in Cincinnati film culture, having worked with Leontine Cinema Collective — a “film activist club” founded by Garin Pirnia in August 2024.
This new project took shape following a September screening of the 2026 film “Barbara Forever” that was held at the Mariemont and hosted by the collective. Jonny Shenk, Cindependent’s Curation and Exhibition Director, encouraged Lefton to harness her passion for cinema, and offered the space to let that passion come to life.
“Cincinnati is in a golden age of film programming, with curators like Leontine Cinema, Outer Cinema, Cameo Cincy and Rosebound Cinema, screening terrific films at venues across town, and I’m very excited for Claire’s “Queerterion Closet” to join the landscape,” Shenk stated.
Queerterion’s Closet inaugural feature will be none other than “Velvet Goldmine,” a 1998 musical drama from director Todd Haynes, who also directed “Carol” and “Dark Waters.”
“Todd Haynes is such a prominent director, but I feel like ‘Velvet Goldmine’ was one of his early ones, so it often gets forgotten; even though the cast is insane,” Lefton said. The plot follows British journalist Arthur Stuart’s (Christian Bale) investigation of the staged assassination-as-publicity-stunt of glam rock icon Brian Slade (Johnathan Rhys Meyers). The film’s music features performances by Thom Yorke, Bernard Butler, and Thurston Moore, to name a few.
“It’s been one of my favorite movies for a really long time,” Lefton affirmed, noting that the film’s place in the New Queer Cinema movement makes it a prime first outing for the new organization.
Shenk agrees, stating, “As the name suggests, this is a film screening project that promises to showcase compelling and perhaps undersung/underseen queer films, all while fostering a welcoming environment and not being afraid to be a little silly with it.”
Lefton identifies that promise as an important one, especially in today’s world.
“Queer representation in media at large has fallen off a cliff,” she said.
GLAAD, the international LGBTQ+ media monitoring non-profit, noted in their annual “Where We Are in Film” study that queer representation on the silver-screen decreased by 3% in 2025. Their annual “Where We Are on TV” report found a 25% decrease in representation across broadcast, streaming, and cable.
“It’s important to show that we’re a really important part of media, of art, of history,” Lefton said. “It’s important that we celebrate and showcase ourselves, even if other people won’t do it for us.”
More celebrations and showcases will be occurring in the future. Lefton told CityBeat that she hopes to highlight more queer cinema, including Haynes’ “Carol,” Gregg Araki’s “Mysterious Skin,” and Jane Schoenburn’s “I Saw the TV Glow.”
For now, “Velvet Goldmine” will go on at 8 p.m. on Nov. 14 at Mariemont Theatre.
For more information around future programming, visit the Mariemont Theatre’s website.
