SIPFF 2024 2024.11.07(Thu.) ~ 2024.11.13(Wed.)

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Eastern European Queer Cinema
focused on Slovenia

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A valuable special exhibitory section where the audience can meet the history of the sexual minority movements of Eastern Europe


2023 SIPFF presents “The Collection of Slovenian Short Films” with Seoul LGBT Archive. Having been more than a year since Russia attacked Ukraine, the social atmosphere of Eastern European countries is dour and filled with tension. When we look back the history, if the social atmosphere gets rigid due to a war, the social minorities suffer than usual because they become the object of expressing hatred and retaliation. Specifically, the level of discrimination and suppression the social minorities living in Eastern European countries, where the Greek Orthodox Church has great impact, would be extremely severe. 


It is quite certain that the development of OTT platforms and the global acknowledgement of the value of diversity and magnanimity, more queer films are created, and there are also more chances for the people to watch them, compared to the past. However, most of the films we can watch are created in the United States and the Western European countries. 


Many people assume that all the sexual minorities living in European countries would lead peaceful and respectful lives; but in fact, the lives of the sexual minorities living in the Eastern European countries are not at all close to the assumptions of many people. Specifically, as the social tension caused by the war is directed to the minorities again, and hence, they are going through very agonizing realities of getting their lives threatened and lynched, let alone being getting simple hatred gazes and discriminative comments. 


Seoul LGBT Archive, where SIPFF belongs to, deplores such resentful reality, and hence, is willing to introduce representative queer films of diverse Eastern European countries near Russia, including the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Austria, along with the countries located in the Balkan Peninsula, including Slovenia, Serbia, Georgia, Croatia, Kosovo, etc., as the part of the regional exhibition of 2023 Korean Cinematheque Council. Through introducing varied Eastern European films, we would like to present the various aspects of lives of those who are not willing to give in to the hateful gazes and discriminations against the sexual minorities, and express their voices and actions against them.  


The audience can watch various types of films, including documentary films, play films, and animated films, through “The Collection of Slovenian Short Films.” Seven short films will be screened: <Gay Life in Krsko (2007)>, <Lesbian Rebellation: First Classed. Second (2009)>, <You Know I Love You (2014)>, <Waiting for Axel (2015)>, <Cabaret Tiffany (2016)>, <Skipping Stones (2016)>, and <Rebellious Essence (2017)>. As such, “The Collection of Slovenian Short Films” is filled with the chances for exchanging diverse discourses, related to the troubles and issues of the sexual minorities of contemporary society face, and the possible future solutions for them. 


Through this year’s regional exhibition, Seoul LGBT Archive will point out the reality of worsened hatred and discrimination against the sexual minorities in Eastern European countries, after the break out of the Russian-Ukraine War. At the same time, we will introduce the sexual minority moviepeople, brave enough to still stay in their countries, and express their voices by creating not only play films, but also documentary/experimental films.