about
Vida Behar is an artist, filmmaker, animator, zine-maker, and writer. Her work deals themes of horror, queer sexuality, and futurism. Vida’s artwork is influenced by vintage comics, film noir, and fetish magazines from the 1950s through the 1980s. She works in India ink, gouache, oil, Super8, and acrylic paint. In addition to her creative practice, she works as a film programmer at Seattle Erotic Cinema Society.
Cv
Education
University of California, Santa Cruz. 2025-2027, M.F.A. in Social Documentation
Wesleyan University, Middletown CT. 2017-2021, B.F.A. in Studio Art, B.A. in Political Philosophy
Film Screenings
July 2026, San Francisco Frozen Film Festival, “GIVE ME THE MONEY,” The Cut Outdoor Cinema, San Francisco, CA, USA
Screened in shorts blocks “LGBTQ+ Short Film Collection”
Winner, Best LGBTQ Themed Film
Press: Moving movies: San Francisco Frozen Film Festival celebrates 20 years in Bay Area Reporter
Speaking to the B.A.R. in an interview, Behar, a genderqueer filmmaker, described the film’s documentative mode as essential. “To document something is to declare its importance; it’s like valorizing it,” Behar said. “This is something that’s worth looking at; it’s worth other people knowing about.”
2025, Tacoma Film Festival, “GIVE ME THE MONEY,” The Grand Cinema, Tacoma, WA, USA
Screened in shorts blocks “Documentary Shorts 3” and “Best of Fest #1”
Honorable Mention, Best PNW Short Documentary Jury Award
2025, Kansas City Underground Film Festival, “GIVE ME THE MONEY,” Charlotte Street Foundation, Kansas City, MO, USA
Screened in shorts + feature block “Autobiographical Documentary“
Shortlisted for Audience Award and Jury Award
Press: Kansas City Underground Film Festival Celebrates its Sixth Year of Challenging Festival-Goers’ Perception of ‘Underground’ in KC Studio
2025, GAZE International LGBTQIA+ Film Festival, “GIVE ME THE MONEY,” Light House Cinema, Dublin, Ireland
Screened in shorts block “Our Messy People“
Press: Report: Our Messy People at GAZE 2025 in Film Ireland Magazine- “There was also one documentary which exponentially expanded the potential of Super 8mm: Vida Behar’s Give Me the Money (USA),“ “Special mention: Vida Behar’s Give Me the Money (USA),”
Queer Animation at GAZE 2025 in Animation Ireland
2024, Georgetown Super8 Film Festival, “GIVE ME THE MONEY,” [early version] The Georgetown Steamplant, Seattle, WA, USA
2023, Local Sightings Film Festival, Echo Park Film Center workshop film in “Accept the Mystery: Experimental Shorts Program,” The Northwest Film Forum, Seattle, WA, USA
Exhibitions
2024 Group show, Sunbleached, The Fishbowl Gallery, Seattle, WA
2024 Group show, Erotic Art, Blue Cone Studios, Seattle, WA
2023 Juried group exhibition curated and judged by the Tom of Finland Foundation, LA Leather Getaway Kinky Art Show, Westin Bonaventure Hotel, Los Angeles, CA
2023 Group show, Sex and Psychedelics Magazine Launch Party, The Arbor, San Francisco CA
2022 Wesleyan University Thesis Exhibition, Second Skin, Zilkha Gallery, Middletown, CT
Publications
2025, Sensitive Content Magazine, Volume 5
2024, Opal Age Tribune, Issue 13 - Performance
2023, Sex and Psychedelics Magazine, Issue 1