The 19th edition of the Paris International Lesbian & Feminist Film Festival, organised by Cineffable, is about to get under way. It's that time of year when "Les lesbiennes se font du cinema" - those "happy few" days when a venerable Parisian theatre welcomes what has swelled into a tidal wave of women come together for mutual support, to meet up and to head off again with renewed force.
In 2006, the festival was supported by 1,686 memberships for 5,656 movie tickets.
How many of us will there be this year?
As in 2006, and wherever you're from, you're invited and we'll be waiting for you to come and see dozens of films, (both fiction and documentaries); to rock to the concert, to join the discussions and debates, to marvel at the work of the artists, (whether you get lost in it or bang up hard against it) and more generally to enjoy an intense moment of lesbian culture. so intense that even the fabulous meals served during the festival release Sapphic scents.
So what does 2007 have in store?
. 72 films are scheduled: 6 feature-length films, 28 mediums & shorts, 28 documentaries and 10 animated films. This is the French premiere for most of these films, which hail from 26 different countries, including Iran, India, Korea, Thailand, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Poland, Russia, Senegal and Algeria.
. 15 women , worked in 6 different languages to translate all of the films into French, and they will provide simultaneous sub-titling at each screening.
. For the third "straight" year, we have also sub-titled all the French films in the competition, in order to allow deaf and hearing-impaired audience members to enjoy them to the fullest. (Sub-titling for the hearing impaired uses different colours for voice-overs and for indications about other sounds (sighs, creaking door, sad music, etc.). A LSF (French Sign Language) interpreter will also be present throughout the festival.)
Then what?
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The organisers will welcome everyone to a co-ed screening of the best of the festival in a Parisian cinema in November.
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Cineffable's TeaDance will let the organisers, the festival volunteers and fans get back together for a dance party at The Tango.
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Our websitewill give everyone around the world access to our news.
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We'll start preparing the 20th anniversary edition of the festival, with glasses of bubbly and fireworks galore!
So tribading we'll go!
And let's all give a bit of our time!
A new generation of filmmakers out of Asia offers us a surprising new look at the feminist and lesbian planet with documentaries like UnLimited Girls (India), Many People, Many Desires (India), The Birthday (Iran), Lesbian Censorship In School 1 (Korea) as well as a feature-length fiction from Taiwan, Spider Lilies which won the Teddy award at the Berlinale 2007.
North America, present as always, brings us documentaries full of meaning, body and emotion, (La politique du cœur, Flesh), a feature film (Finn’s Girl) and plenty of romantic and sexy short films.
Closer to home, Europe demonstrates strength in diversity through two Austrian creations about intersexuality (Octopus Alarm) and trafficking of women (It Happened Just Before) ; a funny and touching Russian look at same-sex parenting (My Happy Family) as well as reflections on the passing of time with A Different Life which will be followed by an exchange with the organisation Repaire de Jubilation. You'll also be treated to a surprise-filled performance by 6 love-starved Norwegians - The Hungry Hearts- that will make your hearts melt!
France is showing its best, too, including a special screening with Sylvie Ballot and her latest film Tel père telle fille, , which competed in the Directors' Fortnight at Cannes.
Two debates will finish off our world tour: one about homosexuality and religion after the screening of the documentary Hineini; the other about incest after the documentary La Traversée du silence. The directors will be present.
Last but not least, it is with great pleasure that we roll out the red carpet for a prominent figure in lesbian and feminist cinema: Anglo-Indian filmmaker Pratibha Parmar. She will be presenting her first feature-length fiction, Nina's Heavenly Delights, a zesty tale full of spice and flavor. We will also be paying hommage to this veteran artist and activist through a retrospective of her work, including the documentaries A Place Of Rage and Jodie: An Icon, among others.
In short, the year '007 will be full of surprises .
16:00 at 18:00 Véronique Bréger, "A titre provisoire" (KTM): a thriller that takes us into the intricacies of recent history. Frédérique Anne, "L'envol" (KTM): the need to clean house in his life before they can take off.
Friday, November 2
16:30 at 18:30 Catherinne Gonnard and Elisabeth Lebovici, "Femmes artistes/Artistes femmes" (Hazan):
with a comprehensive analysis, illustrations, biographies and interviews, artistic creation alongside women from 1880 to the present.
19:30 at 20:30 Anne-Laure Mahé, "Dona Paz la libertine" (La Cerisaie): a libertine comics.
Saturday, November 3
14:00 at 15:30 Corinne Gaudefroy, "Coiffeuse pour dames" (La Cerisaie): the sentimental life of Emma, aged 44, a hairdresser for ladies in the Paris suburbs, will be disrupted by the arrival of Julie, his new apprentice?
16:00 at 18:00 Rosalind Penfold, "Dans les sables mouvants" (çà et là): a Canadian young woman holds a newspaper comic strip to describe the hell she has lived with her companion, the physical and psychological violence suffered for ten years.
Sunday, November 4
14:30 at 16:00 Bibine Desiles, "Lesbos latitude" (France Europe): Beatrice, Métis Caribbean, barren, seeks lost between her mother, her best friend and her boyfriend, but she met Plume, a painter.
The K'fet's menus ... sandwiches, drinks, but not that ...
Wednesday 10/31
Thursday 11/01
Friday 11/02
Noon
Chicken breast cube,
fresh coriander rice
Salad beans to the Portuguese
Pastries and cakes
The Spinach Lasagna
Pastries
Evening
Drink host surprise!
Pumpkin soup
Savory Tarts with salad dressing
Sweet Tarts and cake
The Zucchini Soup Vegetarian Tian
Savory Tarts with salad dressing
Onion Soup
Pork Stew
Savory Tarts with salad dressing
Saturday 11/03 - Indian Day
Sunday 11/04
Noon
Some Indian desserts
Curry lamb and vegetables
in small cardamom with mint
Eastern Salad
Pastries
Chili con carne
Savory Tarts with salad dressing
Pastries and cakes
Evening
Cream of coral lentils
Tandoori Chicken
Savory Tarts with salad dressing
