April 94: Artcom film festival,
a prelude to new L/G/B festivals?

It's been some time since you encouraged me to complete my report on the Artcom film festival that took place in Paris last April. It deserves a few more comments for at least two reasons.

Firstly, it's a mine of information and it's really a pity it has been so badly advertised. According to the General Spokesman for the festival, Alain Esnault, only the gay media were to be thanked for their contribution. It's to be admitted that the festival was a premiére of the genre, which could account for the announcers' excessive concerns and distrust regarding it.

I can't sum up all the films I have seen, ranging from fiction films (To Die for, Amazing Grace) to reports (Le Sida et l'Eglise; The Heart of the matter, about AIDS as affecting the female (esp. black) US community(ies). Let's focus on the US Safer Sex Shorts and the Dutch In the Heat of the Moment. Both promoted safer sex through short stories. But tones and contents were different. The former's leading message could be summed up by "maximum latex, minimum risk". In the later, rimming and sucking was practiced without condoms, even if coming in one's partner mouth was considered as unsafe. It could inspire some comparative studies and/or debates, couldn't it?. As I told you, I would have given an award to in the Heat of the Moment, as pedagogical, funny, erotic as it was. Guys were gorgeous. I regret I haven't taken up the Dutch courses as proposed by the GAGE, the Paris-based L/G students group. They've been actively preparing the Europride for one year! As for me, I shall buy some book and cassettes, unless I've got the opportunity to learn Dutch "sur l'oreiller" (on the pillow)...

Secondly, Alain Esnault, who is known to have attended the 1992 Europride in London, is more than ready to help volonteers organize L/G/B film festivals. He's only waiting for the afore-mentioned volonteers to show up... A word is enough to the wise! I wish I sometime stop saying: "I've missed the London (or Lille) festival once again!" If you go to Artcom's offices, you can't miss the guy. He's rather stout, very friendly and harbours a ponytail.

For more details, Artcom's particulars are:

          Artcom'international
          31, rue des Recollets
          75010 Paris
          Tel (33 1) 42 09 30 26
          Fax (33 1) 42 09 30 30

Artcom sells for FRF 30 a catalogue of the festival with distributors' names and summaries of the films. This catalogue is in French but since Artcom has organized festivals in other European countries, catalogues in other languages are certainly available.

Wim

Copyright Gais et Lesbiennes Branchés, 1995
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