Returning to Eden: A Queer Reclamation of Origin, Truth, and Power
Photography by Sabina Bacevich
What if the story of Adam and Eve was never about sin?
What if it was never about shame, exile, or punishment?
What if the fall was not a fall at all—but a rise?
The Queer Garden of Eden is a bold new short film and visual project that reimagines one of the oldest narratives in Western culture through a queer lens—transforming a story of blame into one of liberation.
At the heart of this reimagining is a radical act: reclaiming the “forbidden fruit.” In this version, the fruit is not a symbol of sin, but of self-knowledge. Not a trap, but a gift. Not given by a deceptive force, but offered by a queer guide who invites us to see clearly, think freely, and choose ourselves.
Instead of casting Adam and Eve as beings who disobeyed and were punished, The Queer Garden of Eden presents a story where they awaken—where they break free from systems of silence and control. In this world, to know yourself is not a curse. It is the first step toward freedom.
Visually, the piece is as striking as its message. Set in a lush, surreal paradise where gender binaries disappear and queerness thrives in its full expression, the project features fifteen individuals, each representing a facet of queer identity. These are not fictional characters—they are living, breathing embodiments of authenticity, beauty, and fluidity. The imagery is vivid, the energy is intentional, and the symbolism is layered.
Photography by Sabina Bacevich
One of the most compelling elements of the film is its rethinking of Satan—not as a force of evil, but as a liberator. Here, Satan is portrayed as an extraterrestrial being, a shapeshifter, a cosmic disruptor who arrives not to tempt but to awaken. This being does not bring destruction, but revelation. They challenge the need for obedience, call out the false comfort of conformity, and remind humanity of its divine autonomy.
In this retelling, the serpent offers a key—not to sin, but to self-awareness. And when the fruit is consumed, it sparks not a fall from grace, but a rise into truth. Adam, Eve, and a new collective of queer beings step forward—not to be erased, but to be seen. Not to follow, but to lead. Not to be punished, but to reign.
Photography by Sabina Bacevich
The Queer Garden of Eden is more than a story. It is a visual manifesto. A cultural reclaiming. A challenge to the constructs that have long kept LGBTQIA+ people in the margins of myth, religion, and power.
It reminds us that we are not blank slates waiting to be filled.
We are not broken beings in need of repair.
We are wisdom in motion.
We are divine by design.
And we always have been.
This work is a return—not just to Eden, but to ourselves.
Photography by Sabina Bacevich
The Queer Garden of Eden reclaims the origins of our existence and rewrites the story from the perspective of those who have been silenced. It is a manifesto of queer divinity, cosmic consciousness, and self-determined truth. In this narrative, queerness is not an outlier or an aberration—it is the very essence of enlightenment.
The garden was never lost.
We were never sinners.
And the snake was never the villain.
We are the fruit-bearers, the truth-tellers, the ones who see beyond the veil.
And now, we return to Eden—not to be punished, but to reign.
Photography by Sabina Bacevich
Credits
Eve is Victoria Monique @labarbiecalva
Adam is Frank Betancort @frank_betancort
Serpents Kari Serrano @_la_kari_ + Cila @jmenrince
Satan Barry Brandon | The Queer Indigo @thequeerindigo
Dwellers
Ashtattz @ashtattz
Brandon @newnourz
Calo @instinbasic
Diogo Rosa @diogo.oliveira.rosa
JayJay @jayjayrevlon
La Bala @balabimbambum
Max @max_toson
Miguel @migueelvsilva
Gato @ojodeg4to
La Rodri @rodrigo_falero
Sister Trish @yoursistertrish
Tom Pipol @tompipol
Creative Direction Barry Brandon @thequeerindigo
Art Direction Neta Bar stav @netabstav
Photography Direction and Gaffer Franco de la Puente @francodlpd
Set Design Anna Belkina @annbelkaa
Makeup Israel Yoten @isy_makeup_
Satan garment Maciej Bohen @maciejbohen
Snake Handling by Dacefer @dacefer
Creative Production Tom Pipol Escobar @tompipol
Film Edition Miguel Silva @thescreamqueer.mov
Assistant Production Massimo Perego @mpmfilmmaker + Lupe Guerra Garcia @lupeguerragarcia + Max Toson @max_toson
Photography by Sabina Bacevich @kazkamatai + Carol Audrey @caroleaudrey_
Produced by For All Humans @forallhumans.co
Watch the short film on YouTube