NITRATE KISSES explores eroded emulsions and images for lost vestiges of lesbian and gay culture in this first feature by a pioneer of lesbian cinema, Barbara Hammer. A forbidden and invisible history of a marginalized people are put in context by the contemporary sexual activities of four gay and lesbian couples. The role of sexuality in the historic present underscores the resistance of two cultures, gay and lesbian, struggling to survive in the complex interaction of power and domination of a dominant heterosexist ideology. (Canyon Cinema)

Preceded by:
Pearl Diver (Barbara Hammer, 1984) - 5 min - 16mm
Dyketactics (Barbara Hammer, 1974) - 4 min - 16mm

Founded in 1981, Gerber/Hart Library and Archives seeks to collect, preserve, and make accessible the history and culture of LGBTQ+ communities in Chicago and the Midwest in order to advance the larger goal of achieving justice and equality. We operate a free, public, lending library of books, ebooks, and audiovisual media that document and represent the richly varied histories and cultures of LGBTQ+ individuals and communities in the United States, with a geographic emphasis on Chicago and the Midwest. Open to everyone, Gerber/Hart is dedicated to promoting research, learning, exploration, and discovery in a safe and welcoming atmosphere that reflects the diversity of the communities that it serves. Volunteers have always been at the heart of our organization, and we continue to center community involvement and leadership in everything we do. 

Gerber/Hart believes that knowledge of LGBTQ+ history in all its diversity and complexity fosters understanding and constructive change in society. We envision a world in which justice, equality, respect, and inclusion describe how LGBTQ+ people and all members of society are treated.