This is part of a series of posts highlighting the Theorizing the Web conference, April 14th, 2012 at the University of Maryland (inside the D.C. beltway). See the conference website for information as well as event registration.

At this year’s Theorizing the Web, we are pleased to announce a lunch time short-film screening of the techno-queer-romantic-comedy “Over&Out” (2012). The film runs less than 30 minutes. Register here for free lunch & a movie.

We will also have the film’s writer, Kelsey Brannan, available all day for questions, comments, and/or chit-chat after the screening. Brannan, who wrote the film while getting her bachelor’s from UC Santa Barbara, is currently getting her master’s in Culture, Communications, and Technology from Georgetown University. In her own words

Similar to my current research on the relationship between queer community development in DC, Over & Out is about finding new ways to connect with people, when personal intimacy fails in the sight of technological addiction. Communication technologies, such as smart-phones, have made it easier and more convenient to communicate with others, but is has also made relationships less intimate. What happens to old technologies when we move onto the next technology? Do we archive them? Recycle? Or throw them away?

Over & Out is also a lesbian romantic-comedy, but the “queer” romance is not the center of the film. Instead, it is about how all people, no matter what their background or sexuality is, cope with digital media. My goal was to create a different type of lesbian film for the community, one that did not feature the typical “coming-out” story or the “first-encounter” lesbian drama. Over & Out is a post coming out film; a film that explores how being queer in a heteronormative world, is like being digital-less in world dominated my digital technology. In other words, trying to navigate our digital world without digital technology, is like how trying to find queer identifications in a world dominated by heteronormative rules and discourses. Similarly to my presentation on the effects of Grindr on male-male desire, I hope to show, in a comedic and charming way, how technology is changing the way we conceptualize desire, love, and community.

We expect the film to dovetail nicely with issues and topics discussed at this year’s conference, and we highly encourage you to RSVP for this wonderful event. As a special incentive, the first 30 attendees to RSVP for this lunchtime screening/discussion will receive a FREE Jimmy John’s sandwich (vegetarian option available). Register here.

Lunch is scheduled from 1pm-2:30, with the film screening set to begin at 2pm. Don’t miss it!