Archive for the ‘events’ Category

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Human Rights, Now!


2012
02.02

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Posted in Current Affairs, events, movie | No Comments »

Flashpoint Film Festival

Eminent media and fashion personality Feroze Gujral to inaugurate human rights film fest in New Delhi that opens the door for a range of human rights issues from violence, fundamentalism and corruption to gender discrimination and homophobia

 

New Delhi: Following on the highly successful and impactful first edition, the 2nd edition of FLASHPOINT Human Rights Film Festival will be held from February 3rd – 5th, 2011 at Alliance Française de Delhi.

The festival will be inaugurated by Feroze Gujral, eminent media and fashion personality and the director of the philanthropic art foundation Outset India, and Mr. Max Claudet, Cooperation And Cultural Counsellor, French Embassy on February 3rd morning at 10am at Alliance Française de Delhi.

This year the festival will screen 16 films that take a critical and empathetic look at several human rights issues – from religious fundamentalism, communal violence, political authoritarianism, war crimes, homophobia, surrogacy, migrant rehabilitation, women empowerment, corruption and poverty.

The films shine a harsh beam on human rights violations in, as diverse countries as, Kenya, Senegal, Columbia, Israel, Iraq, Kurdistan, Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Cameroon, USA and India. This year, for the first time, the festival screens six films that are set in India focusing on human rights issues and human right defenders – Firaaq, Mee Sindutai Sakpal, Cotton For My Shroud, Made In India, In Search Of My Home and Pink Saris.

Rangayan says, “The festival is an attempt to highlight issues and initiate a dialogue. The first step towards fighting human rights violation is creating awareness. Only when someone knows there is a problem, can one raise a voice and ignite change. Entry to the festival is free and there is no need for pre-registration. We want everyone to be able to see the films and participate in the discussions.”

FLASHPOINT Human Rights Film Festival is organized by Solaris Pictures in collaboration with Alliance Française de Delhi, Movies That Matter and Ramon Productions.

The 2nd FLASHPOINT Human Rights Film Festival screened also in Mumbai between December 8-10, 2011 and was inaugurated by eminent director Mahesh Bhatt and actress Tisca Chopra alongwith Consul General of France in Mumbai. Other celebrities who attended and participated in discussions were Nandita Das, Onir, Alyque Padamsee, Dolly Thakore, Mona Ambegoankar and Ananth Mahadevan.

The inauguration of the film festival on February 3rd will also feature launch of PROJECT BOLO in New Delhi. Project Bolo is the first ever comprehensive LGBT oral history project that records 20 LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) persons in four cities who open up in a candid manner to offer an inside view into their lives, views and accomplishments. These in-depth video interviews walk us through their lives – their growing up years, sexual explorations, coming out to family/friends/media, their romances and relationships, their fearless career paths and their pioneering accomplishments.

Feroze Gujral who will launch the Project Bolo DVDs in New Delhi says, “”Project Bolo is an important step in the history of the LBGT movement in India and I am proud to support it and release it officially in Delhi. We need to create an inclusive India for all its citizens, and this includes its gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender minorities. I have so many friends from this community and I have always felt angry that their voices are not heard enough. Project Bolo finally amplifies some of these voices, and shows, how, in their own ways, members of this community are not so different from the rest of us, in their lives, hopes and dreams.”

Several Project Bolo interviewees like Saleem Kidwai, Sunil Gupta, Parmesh Shahani, Aditya Bandopadhyay and Hoshang Merchant will also be present during the event.

“We need these voices to ring, loud and clear, across every platform to reach out to the social mainstream – to say we exist and that we lead productive lives. There is a general notion that gay, lesbian and transgender persons are only interested in sex, fashion, partying and drugs. People can’t imagine that they can also be successful doctors, lawyers, writers, filmmakers, historians, professors, businesswomen and corporate executives! Project Bolo will change that person and underline the fact that LGBT persons too are ‘useful’ members of the society!”, says Sridhar Rangayan, who has conceived and directed the project. Project Bolo is produced by The Humsafar Trust in association with Solaris Pictures and supported by UNDP.

Entry to the film festival is free. The full schedule and synopses of films playing at 2nd FLASHPOINT Human Rights Film Festival, can be found at www.flashpointfilmfestival.com

 

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Mumbai witnesses Asia’s first gay flash mob


2012
01.24

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Posted in Current Affairs, events, gay, lgbt, pride march | 10 Comments »

Gay flash mob of mumbai at marine drive

As part of the pride week celebrations currently going on in Mumbai preceding the actual gay pride march in the city on 28th Jan, Mumbai today witnessed India’s first gay flash mob, which also happens to be Asia’s first gay flash mob. It was a pleasant surprise for many present at Marine Drive when a little after 6pm, more than 50 people started dancing to a medley of carefully selected Bollywood songs ‘Character Dheela’, ‘Sadda Haq’ and ‘Maa Da Ladla’.

Preparations for the first gay flash mob of Asia had been going around for a month with the participants practicing for it every weekend. Dev Kakkad, who is credited with choreographing Mumbai’s now famous flash mob at Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station, also choreographed India’s first gay flash mob. However, publicity in the media about the flash mob beforehand meant that public at Marine Drive already had an inkling about it, thus taking away the surprise element of a flash mob. “It was an amazing experience to be a part of it,” an ecstatic Souvik Ghosh, who happened to be the only non-Mumbai person to be part of the mob, said. “It was a huge success except for the fact that the ambience of a flash mob was a little disappointing because people had already got a hint of it. But we could still pull it like a flash mob,” he added.

Gay flash mobs have emerged as a major source of protest in the west, where many political leaders who aired their homophobia were often confronted with flash mobs by LGBTs. Although flash mobs started in 2003 and have since been organized in various cities across the world, the phenomenon has only recently caught up with India when Mumbai yet again led other Indian cities and a successful flash mob was organized in the busy CST railway station. Given the comments by the Health Minister of India against homosexuality and the recent harassment of people attending the QAM (Queer Azadi March) pride fund-raiser party in Mumbai, the flash mob with its choice of songs made the perfect statement. With its grand success, all eyes would now be on the Queer Azadi March on 28th Jan.

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Blogging Contest: A Positive Effect


2011
11.11

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Continuing with its two month long HIV/AIDS awareness campaign, Gaylaxy now announces a blogging contest. Titled ‘A POSITIVE EFFECT’, you need to write your post beginning with the line “Radha/Aakash was taking off the red ribbon from her/his saree/shirt when she/he looked into the mirror to travel back in time….”

The story could be a work of fiction, or a personal narrative. You could share your experience of working with HIV positive people, or, if you are a HIV positive person, your own experience of fighting the virus. You could also write about your views on the issue, about stigma or discrimination in the society you live in, stories of extra-ordinary courage; all beginning with the line “Radha/Aakash was taking off the red ribbon from her/his saree/shirt when she/he looked into the mirror to travel back in time….”

If writing is your forte, don’t miss this chance to have your voice heard and convey an important message.

All entries should be mailed to editor@gaylaxymag.com by 30th Nov. The best 3 entries will be published in the Nov-Dec issue of Gaylaxy.

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Chennai Rainbow Pride 2011


2011
06.06

Posted in chennai, events, gay, lgbt, pride march, rainbow | 3 Comments »

If June brings the sweltering heat, it also brings reasons to cheer and celebrate. It could be the joy of savouring Mangoes for some, the happiness of all play and no studies for students, or, the ability to stand up for one’s own self and show to the society that we exist, and there is nothing wrong with us. Yes, June brings with it the Pride Parades across the world and in various cities of India too.

Well into its third year, the Chennai Pride will be held on 26th June to mark the anniversary of Stonewall Riots. The pride parade will be preceded by a month of activities to celebrate the diversity and highlight the various issues faced by LGBT community. “In Chennai we treat June as the Pride Month and we have a series of weekend activities and one of the last activity is the pride parade, which is the 26th June,” said Ramki L Ramakrishnan, one of the organizers of the Chennai Pride.

The activities kicked off from May itself, beginning with a small workshop on how to interact with the media during the parade so as to send a unified message, followed by a press conference and a poster making session on May 28th. Screening of a documentary of gay and lesbian Indians and their parents by Sonali Gulatie I AM was organized by the Chennai branch of Sangama on June 4.

A panel discussion with doctors, lawyers, psychologist etc and an interactive session with the audience has been planned for June 11th .The documentary Bold and the Beautiful by transgenders of Kalki Sahodari Foundation will also be screened the same day. There will be another poster making session the next day. The following weekend will then see a cultural performance by members of the community from Chennai and other parts of Tamil Nadu. A pre – pride party will be hosted on June 24th, while 25th June will have a parents meet – up, where parents of LGBTs can share their worries, and express their support and love for their child; which will be followed by an art exhibition and a play titled Molagaapodi by Kattiakari Theater Group. The month long activities would then culminate with the final pride march on June 26th.

With the decriminalization of homosexuality last year, the participation in this year’s pride march is expected to swell. Talking on this matter, Ramki said, “Typically, when you compare to Bangalore or Kolkata pride, we don’t have the kind of numbers that you have in these cities. But there are a lot of other people who won’t necessarily go to the march but come to the cultural event or come to the panel discussion,” hinting at the increasing sense of confidence among the members of the community.

You can view the event details by clicking here.

Visit Chennai Pride Site