The 26th Nichi-Doku Joint Lecture: “Reading AIDS’ Destruction through Drag: An Analysis of the Film ‘Ultra Diamond Hour'” ( March 24, 2026 | Kyoto)

Lecturer: Mr. Marco Del Din Heidelberg Graduate School of the Humanities and Social Sciences, Heidelberg University   Commentator: Prof. Chica Kinoshita Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University Date & Time: Tuesday, March 24, 2026 , 18:30–20:00 (Door opens at 18:15) Venue: Kyoto University, Yoshida International House (Yoshida South Campus), room 2 (ground floor) Language: English

Abstract

After the virus first emerged in Japan in 1985, AIDS activism was long suppressed by silence among activists and officials owing to fears of social ostracization for its initial association with Japan’s then-marginalized gay community. As attitudes shifted and AIDS became a more mainstream concern – a move prompted by misogyny, xenophobia, and the rise of Asian queer cinema in the 1990s – new modes of activism emerged through art and performance.

The drag queen film Diamond Hour (1994) was developed in this context. It centers on Kyoto-born artist Teiji Furuhashi (Miss Glorious), who himself announced his HIV infection in 1992 through a letter which sparked discussions within the artist and queer communities of Kyoto and Kansai, also influencing their artistic production. With its irreverent plot and campiness, the film exploring Furuhashi’s experience with AIDS and kinship ties in Kyoto drag.

This lecture examines the film’s camp aesthetics and contextualizes its role in resisting AIDS-related stigma through queer and feminist film strategies. Concurrently, it shows how the film functions as a localized queer archive, encapsulating the milieu in which it was produced and the drag and activism of Japan’s longest-running drag show, Diamonds Are Forever.

Programme

Registration & Contact

Deadline: March 23, 2026 (Monday)  
Walk-in participants are also welcome!

Please send an e-mail containing your name and affiliated organization to the following address:

Heidelberg University Office Kyoto (HUOK)
E-Mail: info{at}huok[dot]uni-heidelberg.de

* The lecture series “Nichi-Doku Joint Lecture” is organized in close cooperation of the Kyoto University European Center and the Heidelberg University Office, Kyoto, the liaison offices of both universities in Japan and Germany. It aims at promoting and strengthening research exchange between Kyoto University and Heidelberg University.