British Council brings the world’s largest LGBTQ+ digital campaign
British Council brings the world’s largest LGBTQ+ digital campaign to
Indian audience
Tuesday,
26 March 2019: British Council has revealed the film line-up for the 5th
season of #FiveFilms4Freedom, the world’s widest-reaching LGBTQ+ digital
campaign.The project, a partnership between the British Council and BFI Flare:
London LGBTQ+ Film Festival, will see five short films from the BFI Flare
programme made available to Indian and global audiences through the British
Council’s global digital platforms, free of charge.
* Please note, the festival is restricted to individuals
aged 18 years and above.
|
Date
and time
|
Venue
|
Description
|
|
29 March
5:00 pm to 7:00
pm
|
British
Council Chennai
|
Inauguration of
the Art exhibition 'SHUT UP' in partnership with Sahodari Foundation followed
by film screening and panel discussion.
Free entry.
|
All five films will be available to view from 00.01 on 21 -31 March via
the British Council Arts
YouTube channel
Running since
2015, the programme has seen more than 10 million people viewing one of the
films in more than 200 countries. The latest season, therefore,holds even greater
significance as it is part of Anyone//Anywhere: the web at 30, British
Council’s global campaign acknowledging and celebrating the impact of the world
wide web on every aspect of our lives over the past 30 years.
This year’s #FiveFilms4Freedom
collection presents a range of compelling and thought-provoking stories,
including one made under the guidance of legendary filmmaker, Werner Herzog. In
the visually mesmerising Carlito se va para siempre, a man is forced to
choose between his lover and his community in rural Peru. Director, Quentin
Lazzarotto, made the short after Herzog challenged a group of emerging
filmmakers to produce a film in the heart of the Amazonian jungle.
Two UK films are
included in this year’s programme. Ladies Day focuses on a young lesbian
trying to navigate uncomfortable conversations in a Sheffield hair salon. Crashing
Waves, from director Emma Gilbertson, is an experimental dance piece
depicting the tenderness and brutality of a complicated relationship.
Intersex rights
activist Pidgeon Pagonis is the star of A Normal Girl, by award-winning
director Aubree Bernier-Clarke. In this vital film Pagonis – whose activism was
recognised by the Obama administration - candidly discusses the discovery in their
late teens that their intersex condition had been hidden from them.
From Iceland, ÉG,
is a moving yet exhilarating drama, following a teen breaking away from
societal expectations after a visit to a gender identity clinic.
ValaÓmarsdóttir and HallfríðurTryggvadóttir are the creative duo behind the
film.
World over, there
is heightened awareness and discussion around equal rights for the LGBT
community. LGBT rights in many other countries have been transformed, including
India where homosexuality was decriminalized last year. The campaign
illustrates how the medium of films can help to secure global influence. As an
art form it can be used to educate, engage, inform, debate, illustrate,
andchallenge.
Talking
about the #FiveFilms4Freedom programme in India,Tom Birtwistle,
Director North India, British Council, said, “Cinema is a powerful medium, and perfect
artistic format for the internet age. #FiveFilms4Freedom shows the power of
human connection and reminds us all the love is a human right.”
2019 #FiveFilms4Freedom films
A NORMAL GIRL (USA)
A Normal Girl brings the widely unknown struggles of intersex people to light,
through the story of intersex activist Pidgeon Pagonis.
Aubree Bernier-Clarkeis a non-binary director and cinematographer based in Los Angeles, CA.
Aubree is committed to using film to tell diverse stories, often focusing on
LGBTQ+ and social justice issues. Aubree uses she/her and them/them pronouns.
CARLITO SE VE PARA SIEMPRE / CARLITO LEAVES FOREVER (Peru/France)
A short poetic film following Carlito, a young man living
in an indigenous village at the heart of the Amazonian jungle, who decided
to leave and change his life forever.
Quentin Lazzarottogrew up in the mountainous and forested region of Haut Jura, France. Carlito
se ve para siempre is his second professional short fiction film.
CRASHING WAVES (UK)
Two young working-class men explore the intimacy and vulnerability of
relationships in a combative dance against the backdrop of an inner city
estate, risking all under the scrutiny of a tight-knit, ever judging community.
Emma Gilbertsonis a UK filmmaker originally from Liverpool. She has a keen interest in
films about working class, queer and female identity.
ÉG / I (Iceland)
A young trans person living in a small town travels to the city
searching for the freedom to be their self.
ValaÓmarsdóttir is a film director and writer from Iceland. Vala is the co-founder of
GERVI Productions.
Hallfríður Thora Tryggvadóttiris a New York-based director and producer.
Originally from Iceland, Hallfríður has led numerous international
film and theatre productions. ÉG is Hallfríður's film
directorial debut.
LADIES DAY (UK)
Amma, a young, black lesbian, spends the day in an Afro-Caribbean hair
salon full of fun, sheen spray, gossip and laughter - but how will she deal
with the casual homophobia?
Abena Taylor-Smithis a writer and filmmaker. She is a 2017-18 participant of ShortFLIX,
the Creative England/Sky Arts talent development scheme for emerging filmmakers
and has been selected for the 2019 Diverse Directors workshop at the National
Film & Television School.
All five films will be available to view from 00.01 on 21 -31 March via
the British Council Arts
YouTube channel
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