Friday, July 29, 2022

 

ILGCN FILM AWARD to PINK ARMENIA
Jerevan -- The Swedish Embassy in the Armenian capital assisted in handing out the ILGCN's (interntional rainbow culture network) "Wings" award to the LGBT organization, Pink Armenia for their outstanding documentary films-- especially the "History of IDAHOBIT" describing thier week-long celebration -- not just the usual day-long honoring of the May 17 IDAHOT Day -- the international day against homophobia and transphobia.
At the embassy ceremony, the award diploma was handed over by Swedish Ambassador Patrick Swenson to Lilit Avetisyan of Pink Armenia. The LGBT organization has a very impressive facebook page relecting numerous, ambitious activities. The "History..." film is to be screened at a coming Stockholm Pride seminar and during the 7th Nordic Rainbow History & Culture Month - October, 2022 in Stockholm and other Nordic cities.
The award is named after the Swedish film, "Vingarne" -- the world's first gay film from 1916 by homosexal director, Mauice Stiller. It portrays an elderly sculptor falling in love with his young, male model posing as the ancient Greek youth, Ganymedes -- attracting the passion of Zeus in the form of an eagle, swooping down to Earth to take the youth up to the heavens. Thus, the "wings."
A status of the naked Ganymedes and the love-struck eagle stands at the edge of Stockholm harbor today. Those not knowing their Greek legends sometimes think it is a frightening attack on the youth by a vicious bird -- instead of one of human history's first homosexual love story.
TUPILAK/ILGCN EVENT in STOCKHOLM: "FOCUS on BRITAIN"
Stockholm -- A July 30th Tupilak/ILGCN ceremony "Focus on Britain" will take place in the Swedish capital, with the presence of both Sue Louise Sanders, the initiator of the UK LGBT History Month/Schools Out receiving a "Golden Tupilak" award and UK author, Matt Cain for his book about an elderly gay searching for his lover of his youth -- receiving a Tupilak "Elli's Rainbow" award honoring culture about the LGBT elderly. (Elli was the Viking goddess of Age.)
Also, via Zoom, the ILGCN award for outstanding theater/performance work -- the "Orpehus & Thalia" * -- to Britain's Peter Scott-Presland (information about his work and his ongoing fund-raising campaign below).
Also on Zoom, another British award winner -- David Shenton, cartoonist receiving the "Ofeo Imago 2022" for outstanding art work.
Another Zoom connection will be made to Missouri, USA with Rodney Wilson -- creator of American LGBT History Month and the International Committee for LGBT History Months -- of which Sue Louise Sanders is a member.
The British element of the event" will also include the ILGCN award-winning director, Stephen Hornby -- honored for his film, "Unchechen" about the persecution and murder of gays in the Russian province of Chechnya which we have screened at a number of Tupilak/ILGCN presentations at Prides and other events.
Tupilak's 30-years History
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Another film to be screened -- from Tupilak's Willi Reichhold and Alaa Haziem -- will describe some of Tupilak's the activities and events over the last 30 years -- narrated by Sarah Guarino Werner (Tupilak chair), Jan Hammarlund, Zafira Vrba, Tomas Woodski, Christine Zawall and Bill Schiller.
Poems will be provided by Tupilak's "house poet," Tomas Åberg and songs by Tupilak's Peter Fröberg.
The latest works from the Tupilak & ILGCN Art & Photography International Exhibtion (from over 70 nations) will include works from the UK, Equador, Brazil, Poland, Sweden, etc..
*P.S. Orpheus was the ancient Greek musician whose magical music could calm even the demons of the underworld and whose male love was Calais -- a fellow traveller on the famous ship, the Argo. Thalia was the ancient Greek muse of epic poetry.",
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Information on Peter Scott-Presland, UK:
Peter Scott-Presland, formerly Eric Presland, has been an out gay performer, playwright, singer/songwriter and director for
fifty years. For the last 35 he has been director of Homo Promos, Britain's oldest Queer Theatre company.
He directed the first play in the world about AIDS in 1983 - AntiBody, by Louse Parker Kelley. During the Covid pandemic he organised 68 weeks of Zoom performances, featuring the whole back catalogue of Homo Promos and its predecessors, a total of over 50 plays. Many of these are on YouTube [Peter Scott-Presland - YouTube].
For the last five years he and composer Robert Ely have been working on the 17-part epic cycle of queer chamber operas,
'A Gay Century'; the first part to get a complete performance will be "1936: Fishing", in September. This is about Lord Alfred Douglas in old age, and the way Queer inheritance is passed on down the ages.
Homo Promos has been the victim of a scam which has stolen £7,500 from the funding 'pot' for the show, but is now Crowdfunding to make sure the show happens. [Exciting new music theatre project - 1936: Fishing - a Music crowdfunding project in London by Homo Promos Theatre (crowdfunder.co.uk)] All help greatly appreciated.
For full details of Homo Promos' work, visit www.homopromos.org.
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Photos/logos for the July 30th event: British Pride, Peter, David, Stephen, Rodney
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More information on the July 30th event: bill@tupilak.org

David Shenton

Archive Photo

London Pride

Peter Scott

Rodney Wilson photo with school Auschwitaz diagram

Stephen Hornby