Wednesday, October 7, 2026 at 7:30 PM
Vidiots, Los Angeles
**Screenwriter**: Stephen Winter **Producers**: Jason Kliot, Joana Vicente Vidiots and [**One Institute**](https://www.oneinstitute.org/about/) are thrilled to welcome writer/director **Stephen Winter** for a special 30th Anniversary screening of the new 4K Restoration of the radical and riotous New Queer Cinema treasure ***Chocolate Babies***! A frenetic debut feature from writer/director Stephen Winter, *Chocolate Babies* unleashes a world of anarchic camp and unapologetic Black queer power in one of the hidden gems of New Queer Cinema, ripe for rediscovery and ready to be introduced to new audiences. Through a campaign of fabulous surprise attacks, an underground band of radical queer HIV+ activists, addicts, and drag queens take to the streets of New York City to combat conservative politicians and government apathy towards the AIDS crisis. For the film’s 25th anniversary, Frameline has commissioned a 4K restoration of *Chocolate Babies* in partnership with the National Film Preservation Foundation, the UCLA Film & Television Archive, and the Outfest Legacy Project. Following its festival run in the mid-1990s (playing at SXSW, the Berlinale, and Frameline21), *Chocolate Babies* struggled to secure major distribution due to its radically independent Black queer vision, but eventually found a home at Frameline Distribution who championed the film and continued to bring it to new audiences. Frameline proudly presents the world premiere of this pristine restoration in rich color and vivid detail like never before. *Chocolate Babies* is presented by Vidiots and community programming partners One Institute as part of the 2026 Circa: Queer Histories Festival, presented by One Institute. **About One Institute:** Founded in 1952, **One Institute** (formerly ONE Archives Foundation) is the oldest active LGBTQ+ organization in the country, dedicated to telling LGBTQ+ and HIV/AIDS history and stories through education, arts, and social justice programs. Our one-of-a-kind exhibitions and public programs connect LGBTQ+ history and contemporary culture to effect social change. Through unique K-12 teacher trainings, lesson plans, and youth mentorship programs, we empower teachers and students to bring queer history into classrooms and communities. As the independent community partner of ONE Archives at the USC Libraries, we promote the largest collection of LGBTQ+ materials in the world.