Sapphoo for Equality & Pratyyay Gender Trust pressent
DIALLOGUES annuual Calcutta Lesbbian Gay Bisexxual Transgender film & video festival 2009
Tentaative Scchedule
Friday,, June 12, 2009 2 3.00PM – 3.30PM:
Inaugurration of Exh hibition “Exccavation of Feminine Memories”
An Exhibittion (12th -14th June) J on imageeries of Homo-eerotic Love in A Ancient Indian Tradition T by Giti Thadaani in partnershhip with Sapphoo for Equality annd Pratyay Gennder Trust.
Giti Thaddani, a radicaal lesbian activvist, visual artist, photographer p and a Delhi-based D independeent researcheer, is excavvating the concealedd tapestry of fem minine kinship, genealogy and sexuaal or erotic bonnding between women in ancient Inndian traditions. She traveled across the country ovver the last 25 years and phootographed temples and a images of tthe goddess. 20 2 of those images are a the part of this exhibbition. The exhibition presentation is a poetic phhotographic journey into the archeetypal philosophies and cosmologies of the Shaaktic feminine through a dramatic interplay of vissuals depicting same–sex erotica. She S says, “Hom mosexuality is very much part and parcel of Indicc histories. In fact there were manny celebratory traditions that celebrated it. There iss ample iconogrraphy and textuual material to prove this. What how wever is imporrtant is that theese histories have h been ignoored, ravaged by different monotheistic invasions.. Further thesee histories have for the mostt part been wrritten from a coompletely heteerosexual point of view – whether coming c from thhe hindutva, orientalist or eveen what poses as the ‘seculaar’ academic. In effect the technique of othering homosexuality h a ‘western’ is not unique to India. Most paatriarchal culturees will invisibiliize their own homosexual as traditions and then blamee it on the ‘otheer’.
4.00PM – 5.00PM:
Sodomyy Laws Repo ort Launchin ng
6.00 PM M – 6.30PM:
Inaugurration of thee Festival
A panel discussion d folloowed by launching of the boook “This Alien Legacy” on thhe colonial origins of so-called sodomy laws by Alooke Gupta organnized in collabooration with Hum man Rights Watch, US SA.
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6.30 PM M – 7.51PM: Countryy Directedd by Releasee date Runningg time Languaage
A Jihad for Love (In naugural Film m) USA Parvez Shharma 2007 81 minutees English
Synopssis: Fourteen centuries c after the revelationn of the holy Qur'an Q to the Prophet Muhammad, Islam today iss the world's second s largest and fastest growingg religion. Musslim gay filmm maker Parvez Sharma travels the many worlds of this dynam mic faith discoovering the stoories of its most m unlikely storytellers: lesbian annd gay Muslims. Filmed over 5 1/2 yeaars, in 12 counttries and 9 langguages, "A Jihaad for Love" comes from the heartt of Islam. Loooking beyond a hostile and war-torn w present, this film seeeks to reclaim the t Islamic concept of a greater Jihad, which cann mean 'an inneer struggle' or 'to strive in the path of God'. Inn doing so the film f and its remarkaable subjects move m beyond the narrow conceept of 'Jihad' ass holy war.
Saturdaay, June13, 2009 Fassbin nder Retro ospective 10.00AM M –12.03PM:: Countryy Directedd by Releasee date Runningg time Languaage
Fox and d His Friends Germany Rainer Weerner Fassbinder 1974 123 minuttes German (English subtitleed)
Synopssis: The film was w one of the many films in the short, but b prolific, career of Germaan auteur Rainner Werner Fassbinnder. Fassbindeer plays Franz Biberkopf, a finnancially poor gay g man who performs p in a trraveling circus as Fox the Talking Head. One daay, he lucks intto winning halff a million markks in a lottery. This attracts thhe attention off numerous swindleers, including Eugen (Peter Chhatel), who beccomes Fox's lovver, gets Fox too spend the mooney on Eugenn, and then dumps Fox mercilesslyy once the monney is gone. Unnable to come to terms with how h he has beeen used, and miserable m at being inn the same placce he was beforre he won the money, m Fox com mmits suicide.
12.15PM – 2.20PM: The Bitteer Tears of Peetra von Kantt Countryy Directedd by Releasee date Runningg time Languaage
Germany Rainer Weerner Fassbinder 1972 124 minuttes German (English subtitleed)
Synopssis: This tale of o intermingled love l and hate is i directed by Rainner Werner Fasssbinder, and iss the 13th of thhe 33 films he madde in his short life. It explores the universal dynamics presentt in close humaan relationshipss, even lesbian ones. This film m has an all female cast and is set in the hoome of the protagoonist, Petra vonn Kant. Petra voon Kant is a suuccessful fashioon designer -- arrogant, a causttic, and self-sattisfied. She mistreaats Marlene (heer secretary, maaid, and co-dessigner). Enter Karin, K a 23-yeaar-old beauty w who wants to bee a model. Petra faalls in love withh Karin and inviites her to movve in. The rest of the film dealls with the emootions of this afffair and its aftermaath. Fassbinderr tells his story in a series of 5 or 6 long sceenes with extended uses of a single cameraa shot and deep foocus. 2
2.45PM – 4.50PM: Countryy Directedd by Releasee date Runningg time Languaage
In a Yearr of Thirteen Moons Germany Rainer Weerner Fassbinder 1972 124 minuttes German (English subtitleed)
Synopssis: When his wealthy male lover dumps him, Erwin Weishaaupt makes a desperate d attem mpt to win his man m back by havving a sex change operation. But the saacrifice is doomedd to failure, and as time passses, the doublyy-rejected Erwin, now Elvira, is beaten down by the crueltiees and utter lonelineess of her life. The T relentless despair eventuually deepens to t the point where she can noo longer sustainn herself -and choooses to take her h own life. A passionate, paainfully honest film f from the great director Raainer Werner Fassbinder. F One of his more persoonal efforts, "In a Year of 13 Moons" M was madde in response to the suicide oof Fassbinder's own lover, Armin Meier. M
Indian Panoram ma 5.00PM – 6.47PM: Countryy Directedd by Releasee date Runningg time Languaage
Sancharram India Ligy J. Puullappally 2004 107 minuttes Malayalam m (English subttitled)
Synopssis: Inspired by b a true story of two lesbiann lovers in thee South India state of Keerala the film foollows two young friends, Kirann a Hinduu, and Delilah, a Catholic, from m their first meeeting as youngg childrenn to young aduulthood, when they t realize that they have a lifelong love for each other. At first,, Kiran is askeed to write lovee letters to t Delilah for Raajan a teenage boy who also has h a long-stannding crush on Delilah. Kiran ddoes so as it allows her to expresss her love to Deelilah without haaving to be ostrracized by her family, f friends and a culture. Evventually Delilahh discovers the truthh behind the lettters and poetryy, and admits her mutual love to Kiran. They begin a delicatee love affair desspite social taboos against homosexuality. Their blossoming lovve affair is damppened severely when Rajan discovers Kiran and a Delilah stealingg a moment of o intimacy in the t jungle. Hee proceeds to inform Amma, Delilah's motther, of what he h (briefly) witnesssed. Amma connfronts Delilah, who reveals heer love for Kirann. In response, Amma arrangeed Delilah's maarriage with a suitorr who recently visited v intent on seeking a bride.
7.00P PM – 7.55PM:
Guhyya
Counntry Direccted by Releaase date Runnning time Languuage
India Kirtanna Kumar 2000 55 minutes Englissh
Syno opsis: An awardd winning docum mentary film onn feminine sexuual symbols and rituals, r challengges most contemporary views on sexuality, gender g and explooitation. The film m focuses on thhe link betweenn sexuality and spirituality and its ability to quuestion the rolees played by ccaste, religion and social custoom in relation to t human proggress. The film was shot in 4 states in Indiatt and among peeople as diversee as the Devaddasis (Temple Dancers) D of North Karnataka too the Bhagawathi temples oof Kerala and finally to Kamakkhya in Assam. It takes the viewer on a jourrney of discoveery through alternatee visions and multiple realities vis-a-vis femalee sexuality & feemininity. 3
Sundayy, June14, 2009 2 mentaries (10.00AM M-1.05PM M) Shortss & Docum 1. Gender Trouble Counntry Direccted by Releaase date Runnning time Langguage
UK Roz Mortimer 2002 24 minutees English
Syno opsis: In this sensitive, s thougght provoking and a moving experimental documentary, four inter-sex wom men speak abouut hemaphrodissm, surgery, gender g and iddentity with eloquuence and canndour. This film m questions hoow medicine and society have treated t the intter-sexed, and breaks the codes of silence and a secrecy thhat have surroounded their lives..
2. Ki Katha K Tahar Sathe S [‘Sh... Sh... S S(he)’] Counntry Direccted by Releaase date Runnning time Langguage
India Debalina 2002 42 minutees Bengali (E English subtitledd)
Syno opsis: The doccumentary film m “Ki Katha Taahar Sathe” [‘S Sh... Sh... S(hee)’] helped reinnforce norms about a how margginalized groupss must be repreesented in the visual v medium. The film on maale sex workers explored their day-to-day lives with their famiilies, communitty and partnerss and what it toook to be sexuaally ‘different’. A An extremely unobtrusive u cameera captured thhe hopes, dream ms, and way of life of two meen, as friends, partners and aas individuals. Throughout T the fiilm, the dignity of the subject was w maintainedd and viewers were w allowed too enter into verry intimate spacces of their lives and were privvy to very perssonal sharing, captured on camera c in a hiighly sensitive,, inclusive and educative mannner. The intentioon of the filmmaaker was apparrent. She said that t through thee film she was just trying to depict people with a different sexuual orientation in as autobiograaphical a mannner as possible. As she explainned it, “I don’t thhink I have givenn a message orr I have the pow wer to give a meessage.” The film was much appreciated a for its sensitive poortrayal of a highlyy marginalized group. The universal opinion was w that at no stage s did the fraame turn voyeuuristic in any waay.
3. P(l)aain Truth Counntry Direccted by Releaase date Runnning time Langguage
Finland Ilppo Pohjjola 1993 16 minutees English
Syno opsis: 'P(l)ain Truth' tells the t story of a transssexual's transsformation from m a biologicaal woman into a bioological man. Using poignannt imagery, text and music, the film m describes the rangee of emotions that she goes through during the different d stagess of the painful transformationn. A sym mbolic documeentary, which coomments on the relationships betw ween gender, sexuality and biology, traversing between b the reaalms of memoryy, fiction and reality.
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4. Milin nd Soman Maade Me Gay Country USA/India Harjant Gilll Directed by Release datee 2007 27 minutes Running timee English Language Synopsis: In 1995, Indian Governmeent charged Bollywood superstar Milind Soman with 'obscenity' for appearing nude in a shoe advertisement. Undeer the rhetoricc of preservinng nation's morality, these charges weere carried-out using u old colonnial laws that arre still evoked to restrict desire & persecuute homosexualitty in India todaay. Milind Soman Made Me Gay G is a concepttual documentaary abouut desire & notions of home & belonging. Thhe film employss a unique mix of visuaal elements aloong with voice over narrationn to juxtapose memories of the t filmm maker's own paast against livees of three gayy South Asian men living in the t diasppora. Overshaddowing these nostalgic n explorations of life 'back home,' are a harshh realities of hoomophobia & racism in USA.
5. Pabllo India Counntry Direccted by Anirban Ghosh G Releaase date 2009 15 minutees Runnning time Langguage No dialogue Syno opsis: "Strong rays of sun falll on Pablo's creeation – the body of his lover has been transsformed into a canvas for lorry art. ‘Horn pleaase, obey traffic rules, my Inddia is great’ annd other patternns, designs and lotuses and swans are graduually revealed on o the torso andd back of the muse. m Pablo inspired and overppowered by em motions confessses his love for his muse. He saays ‘Bratislava’.." Pablo is the product of queestioning established norms, oof an attempt too challenge the normality n of thee “normal”. It is the story of yooung Pablo who driven by an uncanny psycchosexual angsst subverts: Heteronormality, Suuperior forms off Art and Populaar Representatiion of Normal.
6. Jagaadamba, Mother of the Un niverse Counntry India Direccted by Amber Fieeld Releaase date 2008 11 minutees Runnning time Langguage English Syno opsis: Queer transracial t adooptee Amber Field grew up all over the worldd and then movved to the U.S. when w she was 12 years old. She discussess international adoption, race,, sexuality, grow wing up, and thee importance of music in her life. l Numerouss clips of her performing andd singing show w the transformative power of music to express herseelf.
7. Bath h Counntry India Sachin Kuundalkar Direccted by Releaase date 2005 20 minutees Runnning time Langguage No dialogue Syno opsis: This shoort film revolvess around the life of Sameer, a young man who w is forced tto sell his bodyy to earn a livingg. The film is an attempt to poortray the dilem mma of male coommercial sex workers who fface abuse in their line of work and are also unable to fulfill thheir emotional needs. n
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S 8. Are We Talking Straight? Counntry Direccted by
Releaase date Runnning time Langguage
India Anindya Shankar S Das, Prachi P Tulshan, Anirban Ghosh, Oishik Sirrcar, Debolina Dutta, D Soupayann Sinha, Sana Faiyaz 2009 30 minutees English
Syno opsis: "Are Wee Talking Straight?" is a film m that cuts across boundaaries of age, class c and gendder to ask questions on alternate sexuual identity. Shhot in Calcuutta on May 17 to mark the Intternational Dayy Against Homophobia, the film m endeavours too hold a mirror to levels of sensitivity in what iss arguably suppposed to be onee of the most tolerant cities in India.
Foreig gn Vista 1.30PM – 3.05PM: Countryy Directedd by Releasee date Runningg time Languaage
The Worrld Unseen South Afriica Shamim Sarif S 2008 94 minutees English
Synopsiss: In 1950's Soouth Africa, apartheid is just beginning. Free-spirited Amina has broken b all the rules of her h own conveentional Indian community in South Afrrica by running a café, a safe s haven off laughter, music and hom me-cooked foodd; a "grey areaa" for those whho fall outside the strict "blacck and white" ruules of the apartheid--led governmennt. Café regulaars include Am mina's feisty waaitress Doris, her h gentle "Cooloured" busineess partner Jacob andd the sparky Whhite local postm mistress Madeleeine. Long accuustomed to the racial barriers oof the country and a its new laws, Maddeleine and Jaccob nevertheless share a buddding attractionn. Miriam, on thhe other hand, is a doting moother to her children and a a demure and a subserviennt wife to her chauvinistic, c frusstrated husbannd, Omar. Quieetly intelligent, Miriam M has never asssumed that she may have choices in life. Wheen Miriam meeets Amina, their unexpected atttraction throws them both off balancce. Although Miriam M managees to subdue her h fascination with unconvenntional Amina, she finds herrself slowly inspired too confront familiar and familiaal constraints. Shortly after thheir encounter Miriam moves to an isolatedd life in the country, but b even here apartheid a is placcing its cruel foootprint on socieety, and these injustices bringg the two womeen together again, cem menting the bassis of their grow wing feelings. Meanwhile M Jacoob decides to puursue a love afffair of his own and a he and Madeleinee begin a tentattive, touching reelationship. Butt the best intentions of both arre overcome byy practical challlenges and inddignities of simply spendding time toggether. Even thhe fearless Am mina, faced witth the strength of her feelings and with thee reality of M Miriam's situation, starts doubting herself. And Miriam finnds herself maaking some couurageous choicces that will change her ownn life forever. Using the stuunning South A African landscappe and jazz tunnes of the tim me, The Worlld Unseen explores a system m that divides white from blaack and womenn from men, buut one that might just allow an unexpecteed love to survive.
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3.15PM – 5.45PM: Countryy Directedd by Releasee date Runningg time Languaage
All My Life L Egypt Maher Saabry 2008 150 minuttes English
Syn nopsis: Epic inn length but intimate in scoope — and certaainly the most daring d and sexxually explicit pportrait of homoosexual life in Egypt yet puut on screen — Maher Saabry’s film eevocatively deetails the trribulations of 26-year-old Rami, an a accountant andd dance studennt living in C Cairo. Rami’s boyfriend, Waaleed, has j ended their relationship in just i order to get married. H His best girlfriennd Dalia is leaving Egyptt for San Franccisco. And his doctor pal Kareem is pestering him to t be more c quasi-undderground gay community. Ass Rami pursuees his own invvolved in the city’s w closet casees and fetishizing tourists, Kaareem is arrestted in a police raid on a romantiic path of one--night stands with floating discotheque called c the Queeen Boat (based on an actual incident in 20011, which catalyzzed gay Egyptiians and a variety of internationaal human rightss organizations into action). Inn his ambitiouss profile of the multifaceted world w of his main chharacter, Sabryy’s wide-reachinng story also inncludes a devouut man living uppstairs from Raami, who is tryinng to quell his longging for women, and an unhapppily closeted kid k named Minaa, who lives acrross the way. A All of these charracters are portrayeed with palpable compassion — and often in various states of undress — with w a variety off dramatic denoouements.
6.00PM – 7.30PM: Countryy Directedd by Releasee date Runningg time Languaage
Chutneyy Popcorn USA Nisha Gannatra 2001 90 minutees English
Synopssis: A New Yorrk based East Inndian-Americann family consists c of a mother and her two t daughters Sarita and Reenaa. The moother, thoughh conservvative, has acccepted the Am merican way of o life, andd did not raisee any objectionns when Saritaa, the elder of the two daughters, deecided to marryy Mitch, a Caucasian male. But her h acceptancee stoppedd right there, after she found out that Reenaa is a lessbian, and hass a Caucasian girlfriend, Lisaa, who she would like to spend the restt of her life withh. Their lives become even e more com mplicated whenn Sarita finds out that she is unablee to give birthh. Obsesssed with helpingg her sister andd winning her mom's m approval, Reena decides she'll have thhe baby and theen give it to her sister and brother--in-law, Mitch. Now N she just neeeds to convincce her commitm ment-phobic girlffriend to go along with the idea. With W Indian tradditions on the one o hand and modern New York Y City valuees on the otheer, Chutney Poopcorn is a provocaative new comeedy that shows you can find family somewherre between the two.
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