Page 16 - Community Living Issue 31-3

LiViNG a Life

industry. The Queer Freedom screening
that opened Oska Bright shone a light on
four different LGBTQ+ lives.
A sepia-toned cartoon animation may
seem an odd choice to tell a love story
between two men with Down’s syndrome,
but John and Michael, by Canadian artist
Shiro Avni, is tender and affecting without
being mawkish.
In contrast, Pili and Me, from Spanish
director Ignacio Garcia Sanchez, shares a
slice of life. Home movies are coupled with
a commentary about an aunt-nephew
relationship anyone would be proud of.
stars of the silver Spectrums, by elizabeth-Valentina Sutton,
The six-minute documentary Life on Two
provides a glimpse of backstage angst and
screen strike gold glamour about drag queen Dan “Tia Anna”
Kahn. Wrapping up this eclectic mix was
Kennedy’s collage art film Versions.
Queer Freedom was very diverse but all
films dealt with the themes of identity,
Oska Bright – the world’s biggest learning disabilities film festival gender and one’s place in the world – a
– broke records as well as boundaries, attracting more people very welcome and important addition to
than ever. Lisa Wolfe of arts body Carousel reports the festival and one that will surely grow.
Breaking taboos
The first evening was rounded off in great
ska Bright, the world’s first and Festival has championed learning disabled style by Irish feature film Sanctuary. This
biggest showcase for film makers film-makers since 2004 and each event won awards and toured the world – and
owith learning disabilities, has seen an increase in both the quantity this was its UK premiere.
attracted record audiences to its eighth and the quality of films submitted. For its The actors of Galway’s Blue Teapot
biennial at the end of 2017 in hove, 2017 festival, Oska Bright made a bold Theatre Company brought humour and
sussex, with thousands more following shift in its programming, introducing pathos to a groundbreaking story of a
the event through social media. several new strands. couple’s illicit overnight stay in a hotel.
The festival is managed, programmed Sex between learning disabled adults
and delivered by a learning-disabled Recognition and resonance was illegal in Ireland until February 2017
team, with the support of arts If being a learning disabled film-maker is and Sanctuary, a Zanzibar Films
organisation Carousel and community film pretty niche, imagine how it feels to also production, helped change that law.
company Junk TV. This time, two from the be LGBTQ+. Sanctuary started out as a play before
team stepped up: Becky Bruzas became That was the question posed by Matthew director Len Collins turned it into a film
festival director and Matthew Hellett Kennedy, a queer-femme artist from and the cast’s familiarity with the script,
became head programmer. Glasgow in his passionate keynote speech, narrative arc and tone made for assured
Festivals need to be fresh and surprising, in which he described his creative journey. and nuanced performances. It was a
even if they are established and people “Do not underestimate that brilliant ensemble work that posed lots
know what to expect. The Oska Bright Film feeling that you get when you of questions about trust, rights and
see something or someone on independence with wit and
screen being reflected back integrity.
In numbers … at you to which you can Day two saw another
personally relate. This innovation – a morning for
3,634 admissions to the festival over
three days feeling of resonance young film makers, with a
and relation is so screening of 10 shorts
63% of visitors had not been to the important to folks and a chance to gain an
festival before (up from 37% in 2015) who are not Arts Award Discover
represented well in certificate.
95% of visitors said they were either film or the creative It’s important for
likely or very likely to attend again industries in Oska Bright to maintain
The #oBff17 hashtag reached general,” he said. a role in developing
83,000 people Kennedy’s film-making skills
message gets to in young people.
The term “Oska Bright” term reached the heart Supporting creativity
110,000 people, including 18,000 on of diversity in special
Facebook in just one month issues in the educational needs
entertainment schools and

16 Vol 31 No 3 | Spring 2018 community Living www.cl-initiatives.co.uk