Coverage of BQFF 2016

“The ongoing Bangalore Queer Film Festival 2016 was kicked off at the Max Mueller Bhavan on Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016. Along with the inauguration of the photography exhibition, attendees of BQFF’s Day 1 events saw three gems that activist Thomas Waugh uncovered from the Canadian film archives and a performance art relay.” IBITimes

and

“The annual Bangalore Queer Film Festival (BQFF) 2016 is returning this weekend and it will see the coming together of brilliant movies with LGBTQ interest from all over the world. It gives the diverse and cosmopolitan population of Bangalore an opportunity to come together and enjoy boundary-pushing films with like-minded people.” IBItimes 2

“BQFF attracts not just filmmakers and people from the queer community, but also the general public, who appreciate quality cinema. And in all these years, the scope has grown tremendously – attracting more performers and even filmmakers who now see it as an opportunity for great exposure for their features.” Bangalore Mirror

“Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan and Alliance Francaise will host the eighth Bangalore Queer Film Festival (BQFF), which will be held in the city from February 25 onwards. The schedule includes screenings of the Berlinale and Dresden queer film packages along with films the Bhavan has sourced through the Dialogues Festival in Kolkata.” The Hindu

“All said and done, pushing the narrative would rest on significant attitude change which has to be initiated by the LGBT community . Starting with family and personal and professional circles is key . “Change in the law tomorrow does not mean that the average household will accept your reality .Attitudes change with people in the line of fire asserting that it is all a question of being themselves,” said Chandran.” Economic Times

“This edition will have a sizeable number of queer cinema made in south Indian languages. There’s Malayalam film Odum Raja Aadum Rani by Viju Varma besides south Indian documentaries like Walking the Walk made by Moses Tulasi, about the pride march in Hyderabad and That’s My Boy by Akhil Satyan about Bengaluru-based transman Sonu. A packed event with movie screenings, readings, interactions with filmmakers and more, the venue for day one is Max Mueller Bhavan, and Alliance Francaise for other days.” Times of India

Coverage of BQFF (Past Years)

“Finding well-made films on queer or LGBT themes for public screening in India can be quite difficult, but urban film festivals are trying to address this.” Time Out Bengaluru

“Several genre of films were screened that were broadly classified under feature films, short films, experimental cinema and documentaries.” The Hindu

“When asked about the audience Chandran said, “This year there was an attendance by than 900 people. It was a packed house on all three days. The Bangalore audience is most receptive than much other audience and if the film captures their attention then it does not matter if it is good or bad, it works for the audience.” Explocity

“According to its website, the festival also is ‘firmly interested in both straightforward LGBT films and wildly queer and radical films.’” Huffington Post

“There is a tendency to freeze frame queer creativity in an unconsciously Eurocentric or Orientalist way, to dis or marginalize those ‘other’ world metros as hotbeds of homophobia, whose queer denizens scramble and fight for that one way ticket to the meccas, looking over the shoulder nervously, cowering before the law and the moral police.” Raj Ayyar, LGBT Today

“Several genre of films were screened that were broadly classified under feature films, short films, experimental cinema and documentaries.” The Hindu

“A lot of good films, some thought-provoking performances and infectious bon homie marked the first day of the B’lore Queer Film Festival (BQFF) 2013 at the Alliance Francaise on Friday.” DNA

“The fifth Bangalore Queer Film Festival starts today and one of the organizers told Gay Star News that they are happy to be showing a lot of experimental films.” Gay Star News

“‘It’s like a celebration watching these movies on the big screen. Some of these films have even won major awards and have been showcased across film festivals around the world,’ Ajay said.” Times of India

“The term ‘transgender’ in common parlance is used by most only to refer to trans-women (men to women). There is hardly any public understanding or any knowledge about who these trans-men are” said Gee Ameena Suleiman, a film-maker and a researcher whose docu-fiction Kalvattukal, potraying their lives, was screened in the fest last year.” The New Indian Express

“Nithin, a lecturer at Mount Carmel College, feels that the situation hasn’t changed much. “The LGBTs, who belong to the urban middle class, have the privacy of their homes but what about those who don’t have that privilege. They are the worst affected,” says Nithin, who feels the situation was better a few years ago.” Deccan Herald

“Festival director Vinay Chandran said, ‘This year’s edition presents 55 films from 20 countries consisting of seven full-length feature films, 18 short fiction films, six short films, six experimental films and 18 documentaries. We are very excited by the quality and scope of this year’s festival. In the last five years, BQFF has grown exponentially. We are now an entrenched fixture in Bangalore’s yearly cultural calendar. Our films, photographs and performances try to push boundaries of understanding and we rigorously explore the mental, emotional and physical lives of those who stand outside the sexual norm.’” Deccan Herald

“An interesting and insightful medley of films, documentaries and plays marked the opening day of the 5th Bangalore Queer Film Festival (BQFF) on at Alliance Francaise.” Deccan Herald

“This year’s edition presents 55 films from 20 countries – 7 full-length feature films, 18 short fiction films, six short films, six experimental films, and 18 documentaries – over three days.This is a hub of queer arts and culture with an art exhibition, two nights of performances and a book launch.” Bangalore Mirror

One of BQFF’s jury members CK Meena writes in her column: “I’ve got queer stuff coming out of my ears as I write this” The Hindu

“The day after the Central government described gay sex as ‘highly immoral’ in the Supreme Court, the city will kick off the 4th Bangalore Queer Film Festival at Alliance Francaise.” Bangalore Mirror

“One major selection concern is balancing experimental films with feel-good films that use more traditional storytelling. Our selection jury includes a couple of academics, college teachers and cultural studies students so debates break-out because they tend to favour the more layered conceptually complex films.” Gay Star News

“As documentary filmmaker Chalam Bennurkar screened his film ‘All About Our Famila’ at the Bangalore Queer Film Fest on Friday, there was celebration among the community.” Times of India

“Also, this will be the first time we’re showcasing such a wonderful melange of films — from love stories, to serious issues to horror flicks — BQFF 2012 will surely pleasantly surprise the enthusiastic film buff — Vinay Chandran” DNA

“Filmmaker Gee describes his 33-minute docu-fiction as, “A film in three chapters. The first, fictionalises the true story of Tintu and Swapna, a transgender man and his partner who fled Kerala to live and love in a less oppressive space.” Deccan Chronicle

“The venue was livelier than it has been for many other events. There were discussions, debates and much socialising on the outside.” Deccan Herald

“The black and white series is almost full of profiles of homosexual men who pose, hugging, leaning demurely against a wall or leaning almost seductively on the bed.” The Hindu

On News9:

“What started as a small attempt to screen films on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) themes, has grown into a full-fledged film festival with a space for performance, discussion and dialogue on LGBT themes. The Bangalore Queer Film Festival (BQFF) enters its third year this February, and brings to audiences films from across the world.” The Hindu

“BQFF 2010 was an incredible experience for all involved. More than 50 films from 15 countries were screened accompanied by panel discussions, poetry readings, dance and music performances and a Queer photo exhibition displaying works by photographers from across the world. BQFF 2010 saw the all-India premiere screening of the highly successful, BAFTA-award winning and Academy Award-nominated, “A Single Man” by Tom Ford starring Colin Firth. Other films from BQFF 2010 included, an audience-favourite around the world, “Edie & Thea: A Very Long Engagement” the official BQFF selection for Documentary; “All My Life” a fascinating Egyptian film was our centre-piece and was produced by the Egyptian Underground Film Society; “The World Unseen” our closing film by South African writer/director Shamim Sarif.” Alliance Francaise India

“One might think that Fadi has a death wish, but then Fadi prefers to live his life and tell his stories with integrity rather than cloak himself in hypocrisy. In his film Not Quite the Taliban, the young filmmaker talks about his own homosexuality and also confronts the modern generation of Arabs who he feels are more conservative than the previous generations. Fadi Hindash, screenwriter and director of documentary and feature films, talks to Bangalore Mirror. (Not Quite the Taliban is one of the 54 films being screened at the 3rd Bangalore Queer Film Festival at Alliance Francaise, Vasanthnagar. Today is the last day of the 3-day festival. Entry free.)” Bangalore Mirror

“The 3rd Bangalore Queer Film Festival will be held from February 25 to 27, 9.30 am to 10 pm, at the Alliance Francaise. The festival will serve as a space for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) concerns to be voiced through the medium of moving images.” Deccan Herald

“In spite of the World Cup, large crowds were seen at the venue. The final day was a true delight for the movie buffs and began with I am that, a short documentary about the life and loves of hijras in India. The venue which was thronged by movie buffs and people of the LGBT community alike was a nice eclectic mix of people who mingled without any prejudices. People were seen having animated discussions about the movies or generally catching up on life.” Deccan Herald

“BQFF came in to existence in the year 2008. Since its inception, it has become an entrenched part of the cultural landscape of Bangalore. The festival serves as a space for LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) concerns to be voiced through the medium of moving image. BQFF focuses on both straightforward LGBT films and wildly queer and radical films. The BQFF is a go-to festival for South India’s cinema lovers and has seen thousands of viewers during past screenings. It also hosts filmmakers and producers from around the world and provides opportunities for new collaborations in cinema. The Bangalore Queer Film Festival (BQFF) held its 6th edition in February 2014. It celebrated cinema on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, hijra, intersex (LGBT) and other sexual and gender minorities in India.” Wikipedia