Queer Black Cinema International Film & Music Festival is now accepting entries (short, docs, narratives, music videos) for our 2009 festival. We are looking for the best films from around the world. Films must be LGBTQ themed, highlighting the Black LGBTQ experience in a non-stereotypical light, preserve the culture and history through in-depth storytelling. More than half of the key crew positions must be filled by people who identify themselves as a person of color on a daily basis.
Straight, trans-people and international filmmakers of African descent are encourage to apply.
DEADLINE: August. 15th
FILM: http://issuu.com/queerblackcinema.org/docs/filmentryform2009
For additional information go to: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=133859477576
Join us on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=36481754399
ABOUT QUEER BLACK CINEMA INTERNATIONAL FILM & MUSIC FESTIVAL
Queer Black Cinema International Film & Music Festival is a progressive socially conscious film festival that will bring you the best Black LGBTQ theme films from around the world. The four day festival consist of not only ground-breaking films but also panel discussions with filmmakers, industry professionals and community leaders followed by a music concert from some of the hottest emerging and establish leading musicians. QBC Int'l Film & Music Festival is an entity of Queer Black Cinema.org. We are fiscally sponsored by Mix Queer Experimental Film Festival, a 501c-3 not for profit organization. Donations are tax deductable using our sponsor. be sure to include Queer Black Cinema name on the memo. You may also donate online to our I WANT MY QBCcampaign.
Sponsorship Opportunities/advertisement spots and tabling for our the Black LGBTQ Film/Book Mini Market is now available. E-mail info@queerblackcinema.org for details including volunteering
CALL FOR BLACK LGBTQ FILMS
Fellowship 2009
Many of you know that I attend Rehoboth Temple church. Well, we had our Fellowship conference which is where all of the churches from all over the world come for a week long conference full of events, workshops and fellowship. It was so uplifting to see other SGL people worshiping God and loving themselves and others. There were over 4000 people there in ATL and was truly a blessed event. I kept crying for the first three days listening to the testimonies of others like Rizi Nasele Timane's.
Rizi is a Nigerian born, equal rights activist whose story challenges me in my comfort zone. You can check out her video here. Listen to the words of the song titled, "Come Out" here.
Here are some of the pics and vids that I managed to capture while there. Some were taking during the banquet for Bishop and there is a lot of background noise but you get the idea. I tried to catch some of the shouting moments but kept going in myself. Oh well.
Masked
As you stare in the mirror, you recite the lyrics of your song over and over again.
You put on your foundation and meticulously put each eyelash on perfectly.
Applied and reapplied your lipstick a dozen times until it was just right.
Spent 15 minutes trying to get that one curl in its rightful place.
You slide into that perfect dress that hides those, not so perfect sections but accentuates those banging areas.
You top it off with the right pair of pumps that elevate you close to how you feel about yourself at that moment.
You finish and say to yourself, “Perfect!”
As you wait backstage your heart races in anticipation of your performance.
Then they call your name and you then walk on stage to cheers and ovations.
All of your relentless hours of rehearsing take over.
You pour everything you have into your performance but the crowd’s cheers push you on even further in this reciprocated interaction.
You are the queen of the night.
As you finish your last selection, the thunderous applause uplifts and energizes your sense of accomplishment.
You rush backstage and again stare in the mirror.
This time you deconstruct the hours of work that you put into making yourself up only to reveal your true physical appearance; a man. Reality steps in.
As you pack up your bags and walk out of the club you pass those people who just adorned you with cheers and admiration.
Now, they won’t look twice at you as you are not “man” enough for them.
Such irony.
As you travel home, the fear of ignorant homophobes cause you to hail a cab.
As you head home alone to your over- cramped, low rent apartment you already start thinking about your next performance.
After a while you reach into your pocket and pull out your nights’ earnings.
5… 6… 7…. 10 ….14… 15…. 25 …. 26….. 27…. $27
Just as you finish you pull up to your apartment, the cab fare was $16.35
Whitney Houston vs. Melonie Daniels Revisited
Ok, if you don't remember my post about Whitney vs Melonie, you can read it here. Now, I will sometimes have dreams that are a bit prophetic about something about to happen in my life. Usually when something that is disturbing to me. For example, I dreamed of seven deaths and shortly thereafter, seven close friends and family members began to die with the last being my mom and grandmother. It was the same with my Whit-Mel dream.
I knew that it meant something which is why I blogged about it. The very day that I posted this entry I found out that a friend of mine is HIV+. This doesn't normally bother me but this was different as this friend has gone through sleeping with many other friends of mine and had not advised them of his status AND was having unprotected sex with them. Oh, did I mention that he was in a relationship with one of my best friends.
It became clear what the dream was about. Remember, both Melonie and Whitney were good friends of mine in my dream. While they fought, I felt overwhelmingly torn between the two but yet felt as one was undeniably in the wrong. Such were my feelings between my two friends.
