This year, Queerfest pays tribute to John Waters’s unique talent with Omar Kholeif's lively selection of films that inspired or are inspired by our hero.

From Fassbinder’s film Despair – not available easily on DVD and playing in Liverpool for the first time as far as FACT is aware - through contemporary films like the Andrew Haigh double bill of Greek Pete and Weekend and onto the wild and wonderful excesses of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, this short season has every mood on offer.

It feels incredible to me that John Waters has been making films since the 1960’s. If he’s new to you, check out the original version of Hairspray from 1988 and Johnny Depp in Cry Baby before hitting the hard stuff! His most famous partnership has probably been with Divine, the Diva of extreme film – check out Pink Flamingos, Female Trouble and Desperate Living which changed the way the world thought of "trash" for ever.

I love John Waters as a raconteur and provocateur. I was lucky enough to see This Filthy World at the Berlinale when it was first released and hear him speak in person about the film which documents his stand-up comedy routine. If you haven’t heard him before, this film captures his feisty way with words to a tee. Someone who will tell you “It wasn't until I started reading and found books they wouldn't let us read in school that I discovered you could be insane and happy and have a good life without being like everybody else” can’t be all bad.

Film makers are often as interesting as their films. Queerfest ends by looking at the life and movies of George Kuchar, named by John Waters as one of his greatest influences. With fab film titles like Hold Me While I’m Naked and Color Me Shameless, it becomes clear very quickly why Waters enjoys the films George made quite so much.

Queerfest films:

Despair: 1978: Directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder: Monday 20 Feb: 6.30pm

Hedwig and the Angry Inch: 2001: Directed by John Cameron Mitchell: Wed 22 Feb: 9.15pm

Weekend: 2011: Directed by Andrew Haigh: Mon 27 Feb: 6.30pm

Greek Pete: 2009: Directed by Andrew Haigh: Mon 27 Feb: 8.45pm

It Came From Kuchar: 2009: Directed by Jennifer M Kroot: Tues 28 Feb: 6.30pm FREE, but booking essential