Sofia Queer Forum announces the international video competition entitled “Red Love,” dedicated to the centenary of the October Revolution of 1917, and its ensuing effects on the family, the social reproduction, and the sexuality.
“There is no sex in the USSR” is a famous anecdotal phrase, taken out of context from one of the live TV bridges between USSR and USA in the 1980s. This phrase is just one of the historical misinterpretations of events, and also erasures of history from the public memory, fundamental for the idea that there was no sexual revolution in the USSR and subsequently in the entire Socialist Block. Even if we do not look at later times, but only at the time of the October revolution, we can see that part of the women’s emancipation, which happened back then, was the liberalization of the institution of marriage and the sexual life, legalization of abortions, social care of motherhood and decriminalization of homosexuality (which lasted between 1922-1933) - all of which things that are commonly associated with changes in the West from the 1960s. We want to focus on this exact moment of revolutionary and controversial (for many) changes in society at all levels – from politics to everyday life, from arts to sciences – and see to what extent these ideas have been embraced and adopted by our contemporary world, or condemned and rejected.
For details on the concept, please see the link here.
Deadline: August 10th, 2017.
Eligibility:
· There are no restrictions of age, nationality, year of production
· Applicants can submit as many videos as they want, but only one of them can be short-listed for an award
· The works should be no longer than 30 mins
Please send to sofiaqueerforum@sofiaqueerforum.org :
· Video uploaded to Vimeo or YouTube and a downloadable link with a password
· Three video stills (jpg format, 300 dpi, approximately 2000x1200 pixels), which will be featured in SQF’s catalogue if the video is shortlisted
· Short narrative biography (no longer than 200 words)
· Synopsis or short statement about the work (400 words)
All submitted works will be screened at the opening of Sofia Queer Forum 2017 in the beginning of September (1 September).
The three award winners will be selected by a jury. There will be one additional award by the audience.
The shortlisted works, along with the winners, will be shown later at a show at the fridge gallery and will be included in the catalogue of SQF 2017.
Submission of a work implies the author consents their video will be screened and will be included in the catalogue, if shortlisted.
Sofia Queer Forum is an annual international event that started in 2012 in Sofia Bulgaria, which features exhibitions, performances, screenings, and public discussions, with the aim to create a space where gender and sexuality are looked at as parallel systems through which we value ourselves and the others around us. Gender and sexuality have strong influence on all aspects of culture and society. The influence is, of course, two-sided, that is why we look at how gender and sexuality are changing under the influence of social, economic, political, cultural and medical factors that are inherent in a given time and space.
Starting from the local Bulgarian issues, we situate them in international context with special attention on post-socialist societies. Sofia Queer Forum is not only a platform for the representation of art that addresses specific issues of intersectionality, but its aim is to also provide a space where new ideas are born by the meeting of different generations and cultures.
https://sofiaqueerforum.org
