KOCHI: Officially declared around the globe as the Pride Month, June celebrates the rights, social and cultural acceptance of the LGBTQ community. It is vivaciously observed with rainbow-hued banners, marches replete with a wide array of cultural activities, rallies and dance festivals. This year too, pride month was celebrated with much fervour.
Acknowledging the queer community and their work, Q-Loid, a queer documentary and short film festival, will be held on July 13 at the Kerala Museum in Kochi.
The first edition of the festival is organised by Queerala in association with Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) and Public Service Broadcasting Trust (PSBT). Movies documenting the lives of the queer community will be screened, thereby intending to 'rethink modes of visual portrayals of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression'.
Probably the first queer film festival in the state, Q-Loid is set to pave the way forward for similar festivals. “More than being the first queer film festival, what makes Q-Loid important is its association with the WCC. We are glad that there are Malayali actors who identify as feminists and are enthusiastic about supporting queer people and their rights. Their support made it easier for us,” says Rajashree Raju, board member, Queerala.
A panel discussion on masculinity and a 'Meet the Director' session will be held on the one-day festival. Nine films will be screened.“PSBT had sent us films. The board members of Queerala had selected a couple from the package. Also, the working committee of WCC had suggested a few. We have chosen films made mostly by queer people for a reason. We want the media and filmmakers working with queer themes to be sensitive while making reports or films about our lives.
We strongly believe that the selected films speak the truth about the very heteronormative society we live in and the problems faced by us. Therefore, people who attend will have the right awareness about the queer community,” says Rajashree.
Kshema Varghese, one of the organisers, feels the collaboration between Queerala and WCC gives a strong sense of courage to do things. “In Kerala, we are rather familiar with film festivals. But to hold an independent film festival - it calls for attention and it will further encourage such film festivals. This festival could make things organic,” she said.
The menu
Oruvanukku Oruththi? (A Man For A Woman?) by Vimal Santiagu
Please Mind the Gap by Mitali Trivedi and Gagandeep Singh
Ennodoppam (By My Side) by Abhijith P
Breathe by Anushka Shivdasani and Madhuri Mohinar
A Safe Person to Talk to by Navdeep Sharma
The Last Letter by Vishal Jejurkar
May by Harold Antony
Nján Sánjo’(I’m Sánjo) by Jijo Kuriakose
Ladies and Gentlewomen by Malini Jeevarathinam