Inauguration by Piyush Mishra, renowned Theatre Actor & Film Actor for movies like PINK, Gangs of Wassepur and Gulaal.
New Delhi: Day 1 of Delhi International Queer Theater and Film Festival organized by Harmless Hugs and Love Matters Kick started with inauguration by eminent personalities including Prince Manvendra, Jess Dutton (Deputy High Commissioner from Canada to India), Vithika Yadav (Country Head, Love Matters India) along with founder of HH Vinay Kumar. The event started with a power packed theater called Pechan by Asmita Theater Group and was followed by a number of short movies. The event continued with a play by a German couple - I step on Air and then ‘Hum to Bolenge’ by Sangwari.
Post that, renowned Artist Piyush Mishra arrived at the venue and launched the collection of short stories. Other prominent personalities including Arvind Gaur, Shilpi Marwah from Asmita and leaders and representatives of other partners like Impulse New Delhi, India HIV/AIDS Alliance, Youth LEAD India, Ketto, The Education Tree and more.
Post that, Piyush Mishra took the stage and enthralled the audience. In his interaction with Harsh Agarwal (President, Harmless Hugs and Convenor DIQTFF), Piyush said “I see no difference in the homosexual and heterosexual community. They have given me same respect, same love and affection that I get anywhere else I go. If there is something unnatural, the nature won’t let it exist. It’s the conflict of the nature and society which we now observe where society is calling nature unnatural which is ironic.”
The event was concluded with another powerful play Lihaaf by Asmita Theater Group.
About DIQTFF 2016:
The film festival organized by Harmless Hugs and Love Matters will comprise of power packed theatre performances and movies from all across the globe. The concept is to communicate, educate and transpire the existence of the LGBTQI Community in India. Famous Bollywood icons like Actor Kunal Kapoor and Kalki Koechlin had come forward and shown support for team DIQTFF 2016.
Vinay Kumar, Founder-Harmless Hugs, “Movies and Theatre are the reflection of our lives which creates change and influence society at large. We want to bring change with these initiatives because DIQTFF is not just a Queer Film Festival. It is our activism through art and culture to change and question the Society. Harmless Hugs aims to outreach more and more people through this festival to aware and sensitize the many facets of the Indian LGBTQI population.”
Harsh Agarwal, President- Harmless Hugs and Convenor of DIQTFF, “One of the prime objectives to do this event at such a scale is to make a statement that Queer is just as mainstream. We intend to reach out to not just the community but also the society in general - allies or not.”
Vithika Yadav, Country Head-Love Matters India, “We at Love Matters India aim to increase public support for LGBT rights by helping organize and support various ‘rights’ events and forums like DIQTFF 2016. We hope to increase the amount of positive vibes going through communities when supporting the right for equality and justice for all, and therefore help build positive attitude towards the LGBT community.”
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Kalki Koechlin’s Video for DIQTFF 2016:
Actor Kunal Kapoor’s Video for DIQTFF 2016: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Love Matters is the organising partner and title sponsor and is also a leading inclsuive platform on sexuality and sexual health in India. The Associate Sponsor is Impulse New Delhi under Aids HealthCare Foundation. Prince Manavendra, who is the brand ambassador of Impulse New Delhi will also be present at the event.
The executive sponsors of the event includes Samarth Project under India HIV/AIDS Alliance, High Commission of Canada, Youth LEAD India and GLIFAA. Apart from this a number of other organizations have supported the event are Ketto, SCRUFF, DU Beat Humsafar Trust, The Education Tree, Respect Women and Underground Eagles.
About Harmless Hugs:
Harmless Hugs is a dynamic platform bringing together liberal souls all around the world. Founded on 10-September-2012, it is an expansive space driven by core values of unity in diversity and coexistence. Rising over tags, our vision is to create a collaborative culture that focuses on free and fair human expression. Harmless Hugs is driven by both on line as well as ground based initiatives that empowers feminist groups and members of the LGBT community. Follow us if you believe in Humanity above all. Other popular events of HH include Flashmob, Queer Hugs, Doc Talk and more.
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About Love Matters India:
Love Matters is the first ever multimedia platform in India (launched in year 2011) that provides gender friendly SRH (Sexual Reproductive Health) information to adolescents and young people and engages them to talk about love, sex and relationships in an open, honest and non-judgemental way. The vision of Project Love Matters is to be the leading source of information in a world where love, sex and relationships are a right, a choice and a pleasure. Love Matters is a global project with operations In India, China, Latin America, Kenya and Egypt. Love Matters is a leading inclusive space and has been a constant supporter of LGBTQ related events.
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Highlights of the event:
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One of its kind event organized by Harmless Hugs and Love Matters which merges theater and films curated from national and international platforms based on Queer Theme.
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Personalities like Piyush Mishra, Prince Manvendra, Arvind Gaur, Jess Dutton gracing the event.
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A photo exhibition by Katharina Domscheit-D’souza from PEPPINA art - pushing boundaries. She is curating photographs by Alok Johri title No Conditions Apply
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Free HIV Testing and health awareness booths by Impulse New Delhi, Project Samarth and Humsafar Trust.
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Book Launch of a collection of short stories based on LGBTQ theme