[Filmfestivalresearch] Side by Side LGBT Film Festival, Moscow, 26 - 29 April, 2012

Manny de Guerre manny at bok-o-bok.ru
Wed Apr 18 14:37:40 CEST 2012


Press Release: 18th April, 2012

Side by Side LGBT Film Festival to Make its Capital Debut in Moscow 26 - 29
April, 2012 

Saint Petersburg based Side by Side LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and
Transgender) Film Festival is taking on the Russian capital for the first
time bringing four days of film and discussion relating to LGBT rights and
issues to the Moscow audience at the end of April. 

In recent months, as a result of the continuing extension of a law (already
in place in Ryazan since 2006) to Archangelsk in September, 2011, Kostroma
in February, 2012 and Saint Petersburg in March, 2012 criminalizing the
circulation of information about homosexuality to minors, questions relating
to the rights of LGBT persons in Russia have become even more pertinent and
a far greater focus of debate than ever before. In spite of the outcry from
all quarters both at national and international levels the Russian
government remains unrelenting in the promotion of its policy of hate
towards the LGBT community. Presently, the law is now under consideration at
the Moscow State Parliament to be implemented at a federal level. Speaker of
the Moscow Parliament, Vladimir Platonov (Putin's United Russia Party)
stated in a recent radio interview that: "The law is a necessity. There are
no doubts about not letting minors consume alcohol. It is for the protection
of our children." 

The law prevents any organization or an individual to promote what is
described as "propaganda of homosexuality to minors". The initiative
potentially threatens a wide range of activities, such as demonstrations,
speeches and events on LGBT human rights as well as provision of information
about or to LGBT people within the public space.

Over the course of the four days of the Side by Side LGBT Film Festival the
general public will have the chance to get acquainted with alternative
opinion to that being propagated by conservative voices within government,
the orthodox church, far right and ultra national groups. Discussions will
focus on the censorship of LGBT issues in the Russian press, changing
attitudes towards the LGBT community with the experience of Denmark, the
Czech Republic and Russia and bringing up children in same sex families.
Among the experts are Masha Gessen - Journalist, Writer, LGBT Activist
(Russia), Yuri Dzhibladze - Member of the Presidential Council for Human
Rights (Russia) and Martin Putna - Human Rights Activist (Czech Republic). 

Also joining the discussion and debates are award winning film directors
Ella Lemhagen (Patrik 1.5, Sweden, 2008), Tomer Heymann (I Shot My Love,
Israel/Germany, 2010), Iben Haar Andersen and Minna Grooss (Hello, My Name
is Lesbian, Denmark, 2009), Marcus Lindeen (Regretters, Sweden, 2010) and
actor Lukas Steltner (Harvest, Benjamin Cantu, Germany, 2011) 

The reception of Side by Side LGBT Film Festival in cities across the
Russian Federation has been mixed. When attempting to hold the event for the
first time in Saint Petersburg, 2008, Kemerovo, 2010, Archangelsk, 2010 and
Tomsk, 2011 the festival was banned. The only exception was Novosibirsk,
2010 when the festival went forward without interference from the local
authorities. 

What the fortunes are for the festival next week remain uncertain. Will
Moscow authorities observe the rights of its citizens or again disregard the
will of the people proving yet again that democracy, tolerance and the rule
of law are from ideals and practice adhered to by the Russian State. 

Festival Sponsors and Partners: 

 

British Embassy, Czech Embassy, Danish Embassy, Netherlands Embassy,
Norwegian Embassy, Swedish Embassy, Swiss Embassy 

 

Open Society Foundation, Movies That Matter

 

Goethe Institute, Czech Institute, French Institute 

 

Contact Information: 

 

Manny de Guerre

Festival Founder

Side by Side LGBT International Film Festival

manny at bok-o-bok.ru 

Тel: +7.812.313.9341  

Mob+7.911.710.2702                 

www.bok-o-bok.ru <http://www.bok-o-bok.ru/>   

 <http://shop.bok-o-bok.ru/> http://shop.bok-o-bok.ru

 

 <http://vkontakte.ru/club2049553> vkontakte
<http://www.twitter.com/sidebysideff> twitter
<http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=info&ref=mf&gid=253830262456> facebook

    

image001

 

 

 

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