Olivia Colman and John Lithgow’s ‘Jimpa’ to Open NewFest Pride and Frameline49 (EXCLUSIVE)

At the NewFest Pride 2025 and Frameline49 events, Sophie Hyde’s film “Jimpa,” featuring Olivia Colman and John Lithgow, will be the opening night screening. This feature film will start off NewFest on May 29 and Frameline49 on June 18. Notably, “Jimpa” had its first appearance at the Sundance Film Festival in January.

The movie revolves around filmmaker Hannah (Colman) and her trans nonbinary child Frances (Aud Mason-Hyde). They travel to Amsterdam to meet Frances’s gay grandfather, Jimpa (John Lithgow). When Frances expresses a desire to live with their grandfather for a year in another country, Hannah must grapple with her parenting ideals and face long-held stories from the past, as she contemplates this decision.

As a cinephile, I’m thrilled to present ‘Jimpa’ as the opening night film for both NewFest Pride and Frameline, following our debut at Sundance earlier this year. This film was a labor of love made with an incredible ensemble of creative collaborators – queer individuals and allies hailing from The Netherlands, U.S., U.K., Finland, and Australia. The tales we weave serve as mirrors to help us discover ourselves, and this one is brimming with joy, a heartwarming, humorous, and loving celebration of queerness. In these challenging times, it’s essential that we cherish these feelings and stand together. Let’s rally for the LGBTQIA+ community, particularly the trans community.

Jimpa” is portrayed as an exploration and appreciation of LGBTQIA+ culture, showcasing the significant transformations observed over three generations. The movie draws inspiration from Hyde’s personal experiences, familial background, and her child’s identity, focusing on a multi-generational queer family as its central theme.

David Hatkoff, NewFest’s executive director, expressed his excitement as both NewFest and Frameline join forces to debut ‘Jimpa’ as the opening film for our festivals. By showing this trailblazing movie to our viewers, we are not just honoring Sophie Hyde and her talented cast, but also sending a strong message about the strength of unity in overcoming challenges.

Frameline is excited to join forces with NewFest and launch Frameline49 by showcasing ‘Jimpa.’ According to Frameline’s executive director Allegra Masen, this collaboration comes at a time when understanding our history is vital. Representations of queer families and the LGBTQ+ community’s journey help us envision what lies ahead. The strength of our community, both geographically diverse and on-screen, plays a significant role in shaping the future we aspire to – a future that is inclusive and reflective of our values.

This year’s NewFest Pride (the 5th edition) is scheduled to take place both physically in New York and online from May 29 to June 2. On the other hand, Frameline49 will occur both in-person and virtually within San Francisco from June 18–28.

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2025-04-17 19:16