PARIS INTERNATIONAL
LESBIAN & FEMINIST FILM FESTIVAL

Quand les lesbiennes se font du cinéma

November 7 to 11, 2003

  Archives 2003

Encounters and Debates 2003

Halle Saint-Pierre, just a 2-minute walk from the Trianon Theatre

In connection with the films in the competition, these debates and discussions will provide occasions throughout the festival to comment on issues and events related to the films. The debates will feature film directors and/or other guest speakers.
All members are invited to come and share their ideas at these encounters.

Saturday 8 November

12 p.m. -  Act against lesbians' growing invisibilisation?

"The public invisibilisation of lesbians (in the media, intellectual debate, and elsewhere) is nothing new. But it has been reinforced with the emergence of centrist gay politics and the rise of a hegemonic gay identity. And it is taking new shapes. While lesbians continue to be ignored, insults now fall like rain if anyone raises their voice in criticism, and we have recently begun to witness a kind of “positive” exclusion and censorship, that consists of filling the “L” in LGBT homeopathically, in a limited and inadequate way. Where lesbians were once forgotten, others are now speaking for them.
Lesbian exclusion from the Paris Archive project, the deletion of whole chapters of lesbian culture from the Dictionary of Gay and Lesbian Cultures published by Larousse, the absence of lesbians in the gay press, and Têtu magazine’s lawsuit against a lesbian activist are the most recent examples of what we are discussing. Should we react? If so, what shape should our actions take? Is separatism the solution? Does lesbian solidarity exist?" Marie-Hélène Bourcier


2 p.m. -  Homage to Elula Perrin

Homage to Elula Perrin, readings and lectures.


6 p.m. -  Audre Lorde

After the film by Jennifer Abod, The Edge of Each Other's Battles: The Vision of Audre Lorde, about Audre Lorde who defined herself a "Black, lesbian, feminist, warrior, poet, mother", this debate will allow us to delve into the theme that is common to all her work (fiction, poetry, essays): the ties between racism, sexism, classism and homophobia.

With the participation of Rina Nissim, co-editor for the French translations of Lorde’s books. Other participants to be announced.

Sunday 9 November

12 p.m. -  Lesbian and feminist movements: what is the current state of affairs between the two?

Discussion and debate with Natacha Chetcuti and Claire Michard, who co-edited Lesbianisme/féminisme : histoires politiques (Lesbianism/Feminism: Political Herstories), 2003, based on the 3rd internatioanl French-language feminist research symposium, held in 2002.


2 p.m. -  Women and prevention

With the participation of Sida Info Service, and other organisations.

Must see: the moving documentary by Jacqui North, a portrait her friend Chrissy, who has Aids.

In terms of health care and prevention, lesbians in France are often misinformed or they face a worrying lack of information. In addition to being entirely invisible in health-information brochures and documents, they often see their doctors, particularly their gynecologists, much less than their straight counterparts, and have less testing done. It is difficult, in these conditions, to detect cancer, hepatitis, STDs, etc.
Arame Mbodje, reference-doctor with Aids Info Service, will provide medical advice and information, while Élise Bourgeois-Fisson, from the Lavender Menace group at Act Up, and a member of the Lille-based Pink Flamingos will present their prevention work aimed at lesbians.


4 p.m. -  Meet Florence Montreynaud

A meeting with Florence Montreynaud, co-founder of the Chiennes de garde (She-Wolves) and La Meute (the Pack), after the film What Are We Doing Tonight? by the Belgian director Marie Vermeiren, in which a group of women in Bruxelles take direct action against an omnipresent (but not omnipotent) enemy: sexist advertising.


6 p.m. -  Trans and lesbians, What can we do for each other?

This year’s films on this topic are No Dumb Questions, by Melissa Regan, and Give or Take an Inch, by Lee Friedlander.
Like lesbians, trans-gendered people reject or query their biological gender and/or how they were raised. Whatever our birth gender and however we were raised, we can self-identify as female, male, both or neither. How can trans-gendered and/or lesbian queries and analyses of the notion of gender enrich each other?

The discussion will be chaired by two Cineffable organisers, including Dominique Place, co-chair of Caritig, the Centre for Aide, Research and Information about Trans-sexuality and Gender identity.

Monday 10 November

12 p.m. -  Le livre de Camille, roman du désir d'écrire

In the presence of the author, a presentation of Le livre de Camille, roman du désir d'écrire, novel written by Marion Page, released last year.


6 p.m. -  Monique Wittig

Homage to Monique Wittig. In honour of her passing away this past January, we are showing her The Constant Journey, a play inspired by Don Quixote and filmed by Anne Faisandier, again this year. Wittig's fiction and essays had a tremendous influence on the lesbian and feminist movements both in France and abroad. They will be the object of a discussion as well as of readings. Something special to look forward to.

Partners 2003

La Dixieme Muse
Lesbia Mag
City of Paris
Petit Fute
Tetu