Some Rainbows in Europe

September 15, 2024 - Stockholm

ROMANIA, FRANCE, GERMANY, BULGARIA, ITALY & SWEDEN

Stockholm-- On September 15, 2024, Tupilak (Nordic rainbow culture workers) and the ILGCN (international rainbow culture network) will hold a Zoom & Live ceremony in the Swedish capital to hand out well-deserved award diplomas for art and film to colleagues in Romania, France, Germany and Sweden and honor activists in Bulgaria and Italy.

The "Wings 2024" film award is to go to Romanian film maker and theater director, Eugen Jebeleanu, for his film "Poppy Field" -- about a closeted gay policeman in Romania confronting to homophobic colleagues -- and for his opera and productions.

The award is named after the world's first gay film -- by Swedish gay film maker, Maurice Stiller, in 1917 "Wings" -- portraying a love affair between a sculptor and his naked model -- representing the beautiful youth, Ganymedes -- about to be plucked up the heavens by the god, Zeus in the form of an eagle.

Another Romanian Film Director and Activist

Also receivng the "Wings 2024" is gay Romanian film maker, Paul Muresan --- for his life-and-death animated, short film, "Ceva" and his continuing firlm work for the Romanin LGBT organization, Accept.

Gay photographer. Tiberiú Capudean of Romania -- who has already received a Tupilak/ILGCN award, will join us on the Zoom link to comment on his work.

Gays in France, Germany, Sweden

Tupilak/ILGCN award diploma 's "Orfeo Imago 2024 " honoring rainbow art work goes to gay French artist, Bruno Albéric and to the Berlin-based duo, Greif Lazic.

This award is named after the ancient Greek musician Orpheus, who was also proud of his male lovers -- including Calais - fellow traveller on the ship Argo.

The "Thor's Hammer 2024" goes to Pierre Alatbeh, Swedish/Syrian, now living in Malmö, southern Sweden, for his make-up work at the local theater and for launching the organization of AILE of Sweden -- supporting LGBT in the area and giving special support to LGBT refugees.

The award is named after the Viking god of thunder and lightning, who used his hammer as a weapon against the giants and in defense of mankind.

Bulgaria, Sweden, Italy in Focus

Another focus will be on Bulgaria, where LGBT culture and identity seem to be totally ignored. One project planned is "Rainbows in Bulgaria -- a film project to help combat homophobia" -- Zhata of Bulgaria.

Another focus will be on a letter appeal to Swedish EU parliamentarians to condemn Bulgaria's new ban on LGBT books and information in the schools" --written by Bill Schiller of Tupilak/ILGCN and Zhata of Bulgaria.

A short film, "Joy" by Sweden's Peter Fröberg, is a very positive note describing rainbow solidarity between gays and straights in a small Italian village, with food and drink under the summer sun.

RAINBOW CULTURE VS. SILENCE & IGNORANCE

"What many homophobic politicians, religious leaders, journalists and others in many countries do not realize that rainbow culture is a vital weapon for creativity, identity and progress," says Schiller.

The September event will screen the trailer of the "Poppy Field" and the short film, "Ceva" a short film from the United Nations LGBT short film series, "Free and Equal," and display some of the work of Tiberíu, Bruno and Greif Lazic.

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Photos: Eugene, Poppy Field, Paul, Ceva, Tiberiu, Naked, Bruno,, Reif Lazic, Pierre, Peter, Tupilak logo, ILGCN logo.

TUPILAK/ILGCN & FRIENDS HONOR INTERNATIONAL DAY OF RAINBOW CULTURE

Stockholm -- Tupilak (Nordic rainbow culture workers) and the ILGCN (international rainbow cultur network) marked August 9 - International Day of Rainbow Culture -- with participants in person and via Zoom from Sweden, UK, Canada, Argentina, Bulgaria, Austria and Japan.

The day was chosen as the birthday of Finnish author, Tove Jansson, creator of the "Mumintroll" books.  

Two award diplomas were handed out at the event -- "Thor's Hammer 2024" -- to two Canadians for their long supportfor Tupilak and the ILGCN -- Ian Stewart -- gay writer of short stories, heading the ILGCN Literature Secretariat, and co-inspiration of the International Rainbow Culture Day -- and and Alister MacKinnon -- year's long, crucial web master for the ILGCN.   

The award is named after Thor -- the Viking god of thunder and lightnig, using his hammer to combat giants and serpents and defend mankind.

Special guests via Zoom helping honoring the International day were Rosemary   and Ian Hembury  of the London-based Gay Author's Workshop -- encoouraging lesbian and gay writers to get feed-back on their works in progress in the aim of future publication.  

International Day ipnut from Austria, Argnetina, Bulgaria, Sweden

Also via Zoom was Barbara Flöhlich of Vienna -- member of the Austrian LGBT anti-fascist committee, explaining about the coming December ceremony at the Mauthausen concentration camp -- marking the 40th anniversary of the LGBT monument there -- the oldest such monument in the world.

Other gests were Marysol de Pablo and Juliette Brizzi, of the duo, Capusa Tango -- the ILGCN Secretariat for Latin America, now living in the southern Swedish city of Malmö and performing and running workshops in different cities in Sweden and Denmark.

Poetry was read by Tomas Åberg, Tupilak´s "house poet".  Another participant in Stockholm was Felix S, a Bulgarian student of films here in Stockholm, who mentioned how difficult it is to "come out" in Bulgaria where homosexuals are labled "pedophiles" and how rainbow culture is almost totally non-existent there.

"As a salute to the International Day, Tupilak & the ILGCN have pledged with Felix to work together to create a film that could reach LGBT people in Bulgaria to give them a stronger voice and the confirmation they are not alone, " says  Bill Schiller of Tupilak & ILGCN.

The event also screened one of the films from the United Nations LGBT film series, "Free and Equal".  This was "The Welcome" filmed in India, where a young gay man brings home his boyfriend for the first time -- at first getting silence and frozen looks and then the entire family bursts into smiles and cheers and furious dancing.

"It is high time to salute the LGBT culture workers of the world --- in half the planet LGBT rights are still banned and even where homosexual relations are legalized, there are many nations where rainbow culture workers are still outlawed with risk of getting fired from the theatre, schools, the tv or radio or newspaper, dance company or publishing house," adds Schiller

  

"Even many LGBT activits have long frowned on rainbow culture workers -- fearing this was competition instead of an important ally in the struggle,"  Schiller concludes.

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Photos:  Tove, Bill, Ian, Barbara, Mauthausen monument, Carpusa, Tomas, Free and Equal, The Welcome, Tupilak, ILGCN

Tove-Jansson and Mummin Face

Tommy Åberg

Mauthausen Monument

Ian Stewart

Carpusa Tango

Bill Schiller

Barbara Getting Orfeo Iris

Stockholm Calling

Stockholm, Friday, August 9 --(19.00-21.00)

The INTERNATIONAL DAY of RAINBOW CULTURE -- birthday of

Tove Jansson, Nordic artist, author (Finland).

Salute to Tove and her woman, art historian, Tuulikki Piptilä

Tove's "Autumn Song" and other words from Finland.

Tupilak/ILGCN award diploma announcements "Thor's Hammer" --

Ian Stwewart & Alister Mackinnon (Canada)

Zoom (or film music) from ILGCN Latin American secretariats,

Capusa Tango (Argentina/Malmö)

Zoom: Barbara Fröhlich, Austria LGBT -- preparation for 40th anniversary ceremony of Mauthausen LGBT Monument -- the oldest in the world.

Film: "Tupilak -- 30 Years" - Alaa Haziem, Willi Reichhold (Sweden)

Poetry - Tomas Åberg (Sweden)

Monolgue: "Changing Dragons into Friends -- Amnesty International and the United Nations!" -- Bill Schiller (Sweden)

Photos: Tove, Tuulikki, Capusa Tango, Bill. Logos: Tupilak, ILGCN