ONLINE FILM FESTIVAL
Reel Desires: Chennai International Queer Film Festival 2020 - ONLINE
A festival of shorts, feature films and documentaries on sexuality and gender diversity
Note: Due to public health concerns following the COVID-19 pandemic, Reel Desires: Chennai International Queer Film Festival #CIQFF2020, will be held online, spread over two weekends of December, 2020. We seek submissions of Indian and international feature films, shorts and documentaries on the themes of sexuality and gender diversity.
Reel Desires #CIQFF2020 comes in the wake of India’s 2018 Supreme Court landmark decision in Navtej Singh Johar and Ors. vs. Union of India that read down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code and after passage of the Transgender (Rights of Persons) Act and Rules. As LGBTIQA+ collectives in India take on the task of increasing inclusion and reducing discrimination on the ground, we also work to engender change in hearts and minds, a task substantially more challenging than legal reform. One way we do this by participating in and producing cultures that reflect both the universality and specificity of our experiences.
The eighth edition of Reel Desires: Chennai International Queer Film Festival is being held online over two weekends: Dec. 5-6 & 12-13, 2020. Reel Desires features films, shorts and documentaries showcasing sexuality and gender diversity issues. This year’s line-up consists of 25 films from 12 countries, selected via a community-led review process.
The principal organizers of CIQFF 2020 are Orinam and Goethe-Institut, working in partnership with Nirangal, Chennai Queer Café (CQC), SAATHII, and East-West Center for Counselling and Training.
Highlights among shorts include the award-winning After That Party by Lucas Drummond, the poetic Bodies of Desire by Varsha Panikar; and the world premiere of Sab Rab de Bande, a documentary on queer Sikhs by Sukhdeep Singh. Among the feature-length offerings are Boxed by Sameeksha and Kiss The Moon by Khalid Gill.
On Sunday, December 6, 2020, there will be a play ‘Siriippu than varuthu’ in Tamil with English closed captions. Directed by A. Mangai, the play and subsequent Q&A connects liberation movements such as Black Lives Matter with social justice movements in India, including the movement for queer/trans liberation. On Saturday, Dec 12, 2020, there will be a panel discussion LGBTIQA+ Community Activism: Priorities post-Navtej and COVID-19 featuring activists and community organizers from across India.
As LGBTIQA+ collectives in India work to expand inclusion and reduce discrimination on the ground, we also work to engender change in hearts and minds, a task substantially more challenging than legal reform. One way we do this is by participating in and producing cultures that reflect both the universality and specificity of our experiences.
Reel Desires: Chennai International Queer Film Festival 2020, curated under this name since 2013, is the latest in a series of over 15 queer-themed film festivals held in Chennai to date, beginning in November 2004. In the wake of India’s COVID-19 pandemic, the film festival and associated events are being held entirely online.
Login details will be posted at ciqff.org The event is free and open to individuals above 18.
Contact chennaiintlqueerfilmfest@gmail.com, orinam.net@gmail.com, +91 98415 57983 or visit http://www.ciqff.org for more information.
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