2nd LGLFF - Opening Message

At the beginning of another Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, our second, l congratulate all the progress from last year edition.

The first Festival, for obvious reasons had a retrospective scope of films that constituted a knowledge base over what one calls gay and lesbian cinema.

This year’s Film Festival has grown, not only in the number of films to be screened. (One hundred and twelve), but also in terms of countries represented. in this years Festival the motion pictures encompass the most varied themes within the sexual diversity.

Thus, going against the mainstream conception that homosexuality has a single-faced perspective. This is just one way of fighting against all kinds of stereotypes related to the issue of homosexuality ranging from an altitude of politically correct tolerance, all the way to the most extreme forms of homophobia. The majority of the movies presented in this Festival have come from non-gay thematic film festivals.

The films themselves represent the most recent and most interesting approaches being done the world over, thus, translating, in terms of a thematic tone, the problems, conflicts, tendencies or sensibilities that are part of the homosexual universe. In this regard, our Festival does not aim it self only at the gay and lesbian population, but also, in broad terms at all the interested moviegoers.

As far as prejudice is concerned we also have taken attention that is for part of the Festival. Surfacing as one of the most visible and with the most public repercussion of ILGA-Portugal’s work in the community, it is our intent that in a very near future, the Film Festival will take up a competitive nature by awarding prizes lo improve even more the quality of the films. This was the criteria by which the selection of the films for this years Festival was based on, as a form of preparation for what is to come.

Our future plans also include Portuguese subtitles for all the foreign movies in order lo attract a larger number of people. We tried this year, somewhat successfully, to balance out gay and lesbian themes in the movies lo be screened. The choice of the two motion pictures to open the Festival significantly reflects this as they focus the lesbian universe: ALL OVER ME, winner of the Teddy Award at The Berlin Gay and Lesbian Film Festival in 1997 by Alex Sichel, and the Portuguese O QUE TE QUERO, by Jeanne Waltz. By acknowledging that our Festival is the only opportunity to get in touch with motion pictures that otherwise would never be known here, (through commercial distribution as well as shown on television)

I would like lo express the gratitude for the indispensable collaboration by The Municipality of Lisbon, the ICAM/IPACA. The British Council and The Goethe Institut, among others. I would also like to thank at of those who through volunteer work have helped both the organization of the Festival and ILGA-Portugal to keep everything running smoothly.

Already with the 3rd edition of the Festival in sight we want to promise to you all that it will be more represent active and even better.

Celso Júnior