Tag: lesbian

Gay Games 11 Announces New Dates

It’s Official! The revised dates for the eleventh Gay Games in Hong Kong are 3-11 November 2023.

The organising committee announced the new dates, a new logo and website, www.gghk2023.com. But said that the #UnityInDiversity message remains the same as they want to make the Gay Games in Asia the most diverse and inclusive ever.

The updated logo sees the six colours of the pride rainbow on the iconic Sampan joined by the additional colours of Black, Brown, Pink, Baby Blue and White. “Inspired by Daniel Quasar’s Progress Pride Flag, the new colours represent the marginalised communities of people of colour, trans individuals, those living with HIV/AIDS and those who have been lost; their inclusion into our icon reflects our genuine hope to celebrate diversity, inclusion and community in the widest possible sense.”

The 9-day events program for 2023 remains the same and features 36 Sport Events, an Arts & Culture programme, a Festival Village and the Opening/Closing Ceremonies.

The games are open to all adults over 18, regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, nationality, or ability.

Gay Games Hong Kong 2023
Date: 3-11 November, 2023
Venue: Hong Kong
Tickets: Free

HK Lesbian & Gay Film Festival 2016

hklgff-2016-dlamtw

The 27th Hong Kong Lesbian & Gay Film Festival (HKLGFF) boldly opens and closes with documentaries. As Festival Director Joe Lam puts it “Both documentaries captures the Eastern and Western LGBT community’s family, friends, relationship and discrimination.”

The festival’s opening film is South Korean documentary Weekends, a real life Glee. Gay men’s choir G-Voice write many of their own songs and are apparently the oldest choir in South Korea. Staying true to their own voices though is a challenge in such a conservative society. Director Lee Dong-ha gives an insight into the gay life of South Korea through the on-stage and off-stage stories of the choir members. Director Lee Dong-ha and 2 members from G-Voice will be present on the opening night to meet the audience.

hklgff-2016-weekends

Closing documentary Kiki is about the vogueing dance fight party subculture of New York that centres around the Kiki Ballroom. It’s a film about individuality and survival and follows the lives of seven people over four years. Filming their rehearsals, performances and personal lives, as they battle against problems such as poverty, homelessness, sickness, discrimination and prejudice.

Opening film ticket stubs are good for free admission and one free drink at the opening party at Maison Eight. Ticket stubs for the closing film audience earn admission and one free drink at the closing party at Koko.

The German/Mongolian production Don’t Look At Me That Way tells the story of a single mother Iva who falls desperately in love with her new neighbour, Heidi. Things get complicated when Heidi is attracted to Iva’s father instead. Actor and Director Uisenma Borchu will be attending the screening to meet the audience.

In the French production Summertime, it’s 1971 and Delphine a farmer’s daughter moves to Paris to break free from her family. There she meets feminist activist Carol and falls passionately in love, but when Delphine’s father suffers a stroke back home, she has to make a choice between her lover and her love for her land…

Documentaries
Apart from our opening and closing documentary, there are several other documentaries at HKLGFF. Chemsex exposes the dark side of modern gay London – a world of intravenous drug use and weekend-long sex parties. While society looks the other way, men struggle to make it out of ‘the scene’ alive aided by one health worker who has made it his mission to save them.

A joint Netherlands/Chinese production Inside The Chinese Closet documents the lives of gays and lesbians in China, who often have to live a double life in order to please their parents and conform with archaic attitudes to sexuality that still exist there.

hklgff-2016-fathers

Asian LGBT Films
Loev about the lives and feelings of the three Indian men of different social status is a rarity because in India homosexuality is still illegal. Sudhanshu Saria’s directorial debut was made in secret with the post-production taking place overseas.

Thailand however has a mature and well-developed LGBT film culture. Love Next Door 2 is a sex comedy about love, friendship and sex; while another Thai film at the festival Fathers discuss a more serious issue, the struggles and dilemmas a gay couple face when they decide to adopt a child.

Hong Kong director Scud’s fine body of work includes City Without Baseball (2008) and Amphetamine (2010) which have earned him a lot of respect in the local LGBT community. Scud’s latest work Utopians is about the fascination a dreamy boy has for his charismatic teacher. The HKLGFF will be screening the Director’s Cut.

hklgff-2016

2016 HKLGFF tickets are now on sale.

HK Lesbian & Gay Film Festival 2016
Date: 17 September – 2 October, 2016
Venue: Palace ifc ($110), The ONE ($95) & Broadway Cinematheque ($85)
Tickets: $110, $95, $85
More info: www.hklgff.hk

HKLGFF Launch Party @ Circo – 26 August, 2016

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2016/HKLGFF-Circo-26-August-2016/i-FxPc2gD

The Hong Kong Lesbian and Gay Film Festival 2016 got under way with a launch party at Circo on the 26 August. The festival itself starts on the 17 September and runs until the 2 October. The full schedule of films is here.
Click on any photo for the film gallery of images.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2016/HKLGFF-Circo-26-August-2016/i-PmvzJVd

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2016/HKLGFF-Circo-26-August-2016/i-n29Dvc8

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2016/HKLGFF-Circo-26-August-2016/i-TCd7CwH

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2016/HKLGFF-Circo-26-August-2016/i-gF6FrKg

HK Lesbian & Gay Film Festival

Hong Kong Lesbian & Gay Film Festival

Now in it’s 26 year the Hong Kong Lesbian & Gay Film Festival (HKLGFF) continues to bring a wide range of LGBT films to local audiences. This year’s festival features 59 films and runs for three weeks this year from 19 September to 10 October 2015.

Opening Film + Gala Party
Front Cover is the tale of a gay Chinese-American fashion stylist, who despises his ethnic heritage, yet is given an important assignment to style a patriotic actor from Beijing. After a rocky start, a friendship develops leading them to examine their beliefs and identities. Starring Jake Choi, James Chen and directed by Ray Yeung, Front Cover is a bittersweet dramatic comedy, which looks at the Asian-American experience with humour, irony and insight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMs_rE1_ln4

In Yes or No 2.5 Love You Baby, starring Sunanta Yoonniyom, Pimpakan Bangchawong and Chansakorn Kittiwattanakorn, Wine, a photographer, and Pii, a chef, are roommates and best friends. They share their lives together but things start to change when two girls Pim and Fah move in next door. Pim coincidently is Wine’s first love, whom she still hasn’t forgotten but Pim now has a boyfriend. Things get complicated when Fah develops feelings for Pii. Director Kirati Nak-intanon and the cast will attend the screening.

The Opening Gala Party is at Zafran, 10:30pm 19 September, 2015. Bring your opening movie ticket stub for free admission and one complimentary drink.

Closing Films + Party
In Baby Steps, a Taiwanese-American man Danny, and his boyfriend, long to have a baby, but the journey becomes increasingly complicated by Danny’s well-intentioned but meddlesome mother who wants to control every aspect of the process from Taipei. Produced by Oscar winning producer Li-Kong Hsu (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, The Wedding Banquet, Eat Drink Man Woman), and legendary Taiwan actress Grace Guei who also stars in the film as Danny’s mother. Director/ male lead Barney Cheng will be present at the screening to greet the audience.

Freeheld, starring Oscar winner Julianne Moore and Ellen Page, is based on a true story that took place from 2002 – 2006. New Jersey Detective Lieutenant Laurel Hester (Moore) is diagnosed with terminal cancer. She shares her life with her loving partner Stacie (Page) a car mechanic who is much younger than her. Laurel fearing for Stacie’s future sought to leave all her benefits to her, only to be blocked by the county’s governing body of Freeholders. With the help of an LGBT activist Steven (Carell) together they fight to have Laurel’s pension benefits passed on to Stacie. A love story about a loving partnership that in the eyes of law isn’t seen as equals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blk27Jj9UE8

The Closing Party is at Kee Club: 10pm, 10 October, 2015. Bring your closing movie ticket stub for free admission and one complimentary drink.

Highlights
I am Michael starring James Franco, Zachary Quinto, and produced by Gus Van Sant is based on Benoit Denizet-Lewis’ New York Times Magazine article “My Ex-Gay Friend”. It is a controversial true story of a gay activist Michael Glatze in 2007 shocked his friends and followers when he publicly renounced his homosexuality and becomes a Christian pastor. What could have led to such an extreme change of belief?

Wonderful World End, starring Ai Hashimoto and Jun Anonami, is about two girls whose relationship surpasses everything like age and sex. This romantic fantastical music film is lighthearted but the feelings and young talents are genuine together. “Guys can’t save us. Only a girl can save a girl.”

In the documentary My Fair Wedding, Kim Gwang-soo, an openly gay film-maker announces his intention to marry Dave Kim, his partner of 9 years who is 19 years his junior. On 7th September, 2013, the couple tie the knot in the heart of downtown Seoul, challenging the tradition-abiding and conservative Korean sensibility through this event which became the first gay marriage in Korean history. However, everything around them is inculcated with a culture of homophobia. As the big day approaches, they grow more and more nervous, wondering what will happen on their wedding day. Kim Gwang-soo and Dave Kim will be present at the screenings to share their stories with audience.

https://youtu.be/6jfem2CO-vk

Taiwanese auteur Chang Tso-chi latest work is Thanatos Drunk. Rat works at a market stall but his alcoholic mother constantly nags him to get a proper job and stop hanging out with Shuo, an underworld gigolo whom he looks up to and shares a flat with. Rat’s older brother, Shang-ho, used to live in at the US but returns after losing his boyfriend there. Shang-ho gradually falls for Shuo until Shuo’s past catches up on him…

Hong Kong Lesbian & Gay Film Festival
Date: 19 September – 10 October, 2015
Venue: AMC Festival Walk ($90), AMC Pacific Place ($95), The ONE ($80) & Broadway Cinematheque ($80)
Tickets: various
More info: www.hklgff.hk