Saturday the 5th & Sunday the 6th of December 2020
online.tainiothiki.gr

Since its beginning in 2018 the Aphrodite* queer-feminist film festival aims to establish a long-term relationship with local and international LGBTQI+ feminist communities. Aphrodite* 2020, through film screenings, discussions and workshops, explores art and activist projects which deal with the issues of surveillance, sexuality, body and intimacy, questioning how vulnerability, isolation, restricted freedom of movement and a closed border policy are experienced, as well as which new ways of contact are emerging through those restrictions in relation to the evolving condition of the pandemic.

More specifically, this year’s curatorial initiative is an attempt to establish a platform of queer-feminist groups from bordering Balkan countries. The queer-feminist film festival Aphrodite* 2020 is co-curated by the collectives: Aleanca LGBT (Albania), Sofia Queer Forum (Bulgaria), Pembe Hayat Kuirfest (Turkey), Tiiiit! Inc. (N. Macedonia). Taking into account the narrative(s) of the Balkan peninsula based on both cultural stereotypes and controversial affinities, as well as the lack of mutual knowledge exchange, we wish to engage in conversation with queer-feminist artists* and collectives in order to reflect on these discourses.

Sofia Queer Forum is a platform from Bulgaria exploring gender and sexuality through the means of contemporary art.

The group Tiiiit! Inc organises the only feminist festival in Macedonia – Prvo pa žensko (It’s First and It’s a Girl) and the realization of the activities of Matka (Womb/Uterus) platform who advocates for free access to safe and legal abortion.

The Alliance Against LGBT Discrimination (Aleanca LGBT) is an albanian non-governmental organisation that envisions a free, open and equal society that embraces diversity and is inclusive of people of all sexual orientations and gender identities.

The Pembe Hayat Kuir Fest, organised by Pink Life Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (LGBT) Solidarity Association in Ankara, is the first queer festival in Turkey.

Furthermore, the Aphrodite* 2020 issued an open call addressing women* and LGBTQI+ artists* from the Balkan countries that live or have lived for some time in Greece. This section consists of short and experimental films, documentaries and diy videos that relate to the sexual violence and the fight for justice for femininities*/womxn, the systemic oppression that LGBTQI+ people experience through the asylum processes and within their family environments. There will also be films that look at the experiences of (queer) maternity, the feminist solidarity networks as an answer to patriarchal and racist violences, as well as the creation of new forms of proximity in this digital era.

Artists*/Filmmakers*: Metin Akdemir, Renato Balla, Milena Gramova, Anastasija Lazarova, Marina Gržinić/Aina Šmid/Zvonka T Simčič, Boryana Rossa and ULTRAFUTURO.

Artists*/Filmmakers* Open Call: Soula Apostolaki/Eleftheria Eirini Kofidou/Christina Niko, Mariza Avgeri, Dimitra Ioannou, Erofili Kokkali, Nantia Mantesi, Antigone Michalakopoulou, Eirini Tampasouli, Dimitra Charizani, Boyka Boneva/Melina Kalfanti/Ilia Diakatou, Ayşenur, Ira Dika, Eremus, Ginger Ela (Ilias Gkionis) & Tonia Ainot (Antonia Ranto), Global Girl Media, Sam Albatros.

Curatorial group Aphrodite* 2020: Athens Museum of Queer Arts (AMOQA), Sofia Bempeza, Maria F. Dolores, Sofia Dona, Persephone Kerentzi, Vassiliea Stylianidou aka Franck-Lee Alli-Tis.Co-Curatorial:ALeanca_LGBT (Albania), Sofia Queer Forum (Bulgaria), Pembe Hayat Kuirfest (Turkey), Tiiiit! Inc. (N. Macedonia). Guest co-Curator Open Call: Vanessa Giorgo.

With the support of Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung Athen and Goethe-Institut Athen.

Due to the constraints imposed by the pandemic, the festival will be held online on December 5th and 6th hosted by the Greek Film Archive (Tainiothiki). The program is accessible worldwide from 5.12.2020, 00:00 (UTC+2) till 6.12.2020, 24:00 (UTC+2) here: https://online.tainiothiki.gr/

More Information: https://aphroditeproject.org

https://www.facebook.com/AphroditeQueerFeministFestival