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.
