It has been two years since the Supreme Court branded millions of people criminals, snatching away the fundamental rights of the “minuscule minority” to live with dignity and respect, but one group of young people in Delhi aren’t giving up hope yet.
A day after the second anniversary of the unfortunate decision, the Capital will see a medley of movies, theatre performances and panel discussions as part of the first Delhi International Queer Film and Theatre Festival, organised by Harmless Hugs, a city-based LGBT collective.
The minds behind the event say the idea of hosting a film festival originated in their desire to connect with the mainstream and make them understand the reality of LGBTQ lives by giving them a glimpse.
“To bridge this gap, we decided to take the help of media like film and theatre that have always touched and influenced society. We didn’t want to limit to India and hence decided to host an International Queer Theater and Film Festival,” says Harsh Agarwal.
The two-day festival will see 14 movies submitted by filmmakers around the globe, in addition to seven power-packed stage performances and a host of discussions and seminars themed around LGBT issues and lives.
The organisers want to underscore the importance of acceptance and equality to the packed crowds expected at the venue.
“Film and theatre are great medium to raise our voice because it is easy to discuss sensititve issues such as homosexuality with humour, sarcasm and emotions,” says Vinay Kumar.
The film festival will be held at Lok Kala Manch Auditorium, New Delhi from Dec 12 to Dec 13. The complete schedule can be viewed here.