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Spotlight on France
Céline Metzger, France, 2009, 52 minutes
Since 1972, homosexuality has been punishable in Cameroon by up to five years in prison. In Cameroon: Coming Out of the Nkuta we meet Lambert, a young man who was rounded up in a bar with a group of 30 and thrown in jail. Lambert’s lawyer, Alice Nkom is a strong advocate for lesbian and gay rights and her first goal is the legalization of homosexuality, taking the issue out of the penal code.
The film also introduces us to Muriel and Tatiana, a couple who don’t identify as “real lesbians,” and Elvis and Serge, two gay men who met in a bar and have become friends. All four want to be accepted by their families, have a life and a future in Cameroon. Perhaps the bravest character in the film is Nathalie, an unapologetic lesbian activist who does community education with Alice and eventually opens a bar that caters to homosexuals.
The great power of Alice Nkom as an activist is that she is working within the legal system, as well as in the community, educating people and dispelling stereotypes. When she starts the Group for Families with Homosexual Children, her first client Lambert, who was released from jail, joins Alice as a public advocate in the struggle. Although most of the country is more concerned with poverty, the fight for equal rights continues and Alice, with her infectious optimism, is in it for the long haul.
Filmmaker in attendance
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Preceded by:
Covered
John Greyson, Canada, 2009, 14 minutes
In 2008, the opening ceremonies of the first Sarajevo Queer Film Festival were closed down by a violent mob that accused the organizers of blaspheming the holy month of Ramadan. Eight people were hospitalized and the festival was cancelled. This experimental documentary profiles the courage of the four women who organized the festival. A counter-narrative uses excerpts from a Susan Sontag essay to critique the peculiar subculture of YouTube cover versions, and the ubiquity of bird imagery in pop songs.
Director’s biography
Born in 1960 in Nelson, BC, Greyson is a director, producer, editor, and screenwriter. He is most well-known for his award-winning films Zero Patience and Lilies.
» Website
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