This post is based on queries received by the film festival organisers over the years. Feel free to mail chennaiintlqueerfilmfest@gmail.com or orinamwebber@gmail.com if you have questions that are not answered below:
Reel Desires, the Chennai International Queer Film Festival, is organised by Orinam with Goether-Institut and a group of community based collectives and NGOs. In 2015, these include Nirangal, Nir, SAATHII, RIOV, East-West Center for Counselling and other local collectives.
No, we have had queer film festivals since 2004! Check out this post from our archives on the history of queer film festival organizing in Chennai.
Registration is not mandatory to attend CIQFF. You can register at the help desk if you would like to receive notifications about our events in the future.
Mail us at chennaiintlqueerfilmfest@gmail.com or orinamwebber@gmail.com
Yes, there are no restrictions. But please be considerate to other attendees and refrain from walking in and out of the auditorium when films are being screened.
No. The event is open to all, irrespective of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.
No, Section 377 does not criminalise people identifying themselves as LGBTQI or as allies, and does not criminalise events such as marches, film festivals or other ways in which we exercise our constitutionally guaranteed freedom of expression in a peaceful manner.
CIQFF is committed to an accessible and disability-friendly festival. The venue of the festival has ramps, aisle space for wheelchairs and accessible bathrooms. Our team of volunteers is working on enhancing the accessibility of the screenings by ensuring that subtitles in two languages (Tamil and English) are available. As we understand that several of the films are produced by resource-strapped film-makers, this year, our volunteers are attempting to create subtitles for as many of the selected films as possible in both languages.
*If you work in the field of disability, have experience in making events accessible, or have a disability yourself and are interested in attending, we strongly encourage you to contact us and share your ideas, knowledge, and concerns with our volunteers.
*If you are fluent in both (or other languages) and are interested in helping us create subtitles, please do contact us.
Typically, most media do curtain raisers before the film festival. In addition, events such as the panel discussion are likely to be covered by the media. If you are from the media and would like to cover the event or do a piece on it beforehand, do let us know by dropping us mail at chennaiintlqueerfilmfest@gmail.com or orinamwebber@gmail.com
Filmmaker FAQs
Yes! We welcome all submissions in line with our yearly theme and even beyond, when we really like the film. We are especially keen to create a platform where independent filmmakers dealing with queer themes can showcase their work.
Please fill the form from the following links; submit the form in English or submit the form in Tamil and know by emailing us at chennaiintlqueerfilmfest@gmail.com with the subject line ‘Submission’.
There are no submission fees or screening fees. Please note that submission does not guarantee screening, but be assured that our colourful, diverse, lovable but picky selection committee will debate the film’s merits and thematic suitability thoroughly. No decision is arrived at lightly, or without casualties.
While our schedule is quite packed with screenings, we would love to explore the idea of having the filmmaker interact with the audience. However, since we run the festival on a shoestring budget, we will not be able to fly or train you in. We may, however, be able to videoconference you in for a slot. If your film is selected and you are interested in doing a talk/introduction, do go ahead and let us know.
Based on audience feedback and in order to reach our Tamil-speaking audience, we are exploring creating subtitles for as many of the selected films as possible. The subtitling will be done by the volunteers and every effort will be made to retain as much authenticity as possible in the translation.
Our volunteers are paid no fees for creating subtitles, nor will CIQFF consider accepting monetary payment in exchange for subtitling. The exchange we do look forward to is continued collaboration and mutual support of LGBTQ* event organizing. Also, if you decide to use the subtitles for future screenings, we would appreciate it if you could acknowledge CIQFF in the credits. Creation of the subtitles is not meant for commercial purposes. This idea was formed in recognition of two factors:
(1) the need to have accessible screenings for Tamil Nadu queers and queer-allies, and
(2) our desire to assist film-makers in making their films accessible.