Last month the I Am Gay and Muslim project was involved in a lot of activities. Chris visits various international film festivals for the documentary and the photo series is on display in two exhibitions.
I Am Gay and Muslim documentary Banned in Kyrgyzstan
The film documentary makes its way well through the festival circuit. After festival screenings in South Africa, Italy, USA and Portugal, Chris went to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan where the film was programmed as closing film at the Bir Duino film festival.
What should have been the first screening in an Islamic country turned out otherwise. The film got banned by the Prosecutor General’s office after the Kyrgyz State Committee on Religious Affairs determined it to be “extremist,” “offensive to Muslims,” and “inciting interreligious hatred”.
Read more:
> Kyrgyzstan: Rights Activists Condemn Ban on Gay Muslim Documentary – Eurasianet.org
> Film Ban Violates Free Speech – Human Rights Watch
> Poppetje niet gezien – moslimhomo in Kirgizië moet in dicht kastje blijven – NRC (dutch)
Exhibition Mooiman Gallery
On October 6th there was the opening of the Gay & Muslim Exhibition at Mooiman Gallery, Groningen. This gay and Muslim themed exhibition features the photo series (and film) next to the works of Dutch photographer Diana Blok and Secret Garden Foundation.
The combination of our series and the series See Through Us by Diana Blok (portraits and stories of gay women/men and transsexuals in Turkey) works very well and i am thrilled because i was a fan of this series from the start.
A review in Dagblad van het Noorden, Dutch regional newspaper, on October 8th, 2012:
Gay & Muslim Exhibition
October 6th – November 26th 2012
Mooiman Gallery, Groningen
> website Mooiman Gallery
I Am Gay and Muslim photo series at Pride Photo Award 2012
At last, but not least, there was the Pride Photo Award 2012, for which the I Am Gay and Muslim project was rewarded with a special mention. The Pride Photo Awards focuses on LGBT-issues and gathers a lot of attention on the subject with a exhibition in the Oude Kerk and huge displays throughout the city (on no less than seven locations!).
Besides exhibition of winners, there was also a side-programme to bring up discussion like Meet & Greets with the makers and the incorporation of the PPA in other events like De Donkere Kamer.
Congrats to all winners, who made this year’s PPA one of surprisingly diversity!
Pride Photo Award 2012 Exhibition
September 29th – October 28th 2012
Oude Kerk, Amsterdam
> website Pride Photo Award
read more on the award and see the winners
> on Le Journal de la Photographie – which, btw, also features ours here (with many thanks to Christian Caujolle!)
