All posts by Esther

Meet the Jury: Andrew Murphy

Name: Andrew Murphy
Country: Canada
Festival: Inside Out Toronto LGBT Film Festival
andrew_2

 How do you like Berlin? What is special about the city for you?
I absolutely love this city and I hope to one day get back in summer (not during a festival) to really further explore all Berlin has to offer! My first international festival travel was to the Berlinale back in 2002. Hard to believe 14 years have past! I have developed many life long friendships and professional relationships here in Berlin. For those reasons alone, this city is very special to me. Not to mention the delightful thrift shops near Alexanderplatz…

How would you describe the Berlinale in one sentence?
A city that insists you pay attention to it, yet fronts it doesn’t care what you do.

What was your first encounter with the TEDDY AWARD?
I reckon I’ve been attending the TEDDY party for as many years as I’ve been coming to Berlinale and so the TEDDY AWARD, the party, its significance to Berlinale and to LGBT cinema worldwide, have all lent itself to my growth and development as a gay man.
To talk film specifically, I’m not sure if I’ve been more affected in a long time after seeing the Polish film last year, In the Name Of… It went on to win a TEDDY and my colleague Scott Ferguson, Executive Director at Inside Out and I knew after drying our eyes in cinema, this had to open our festival last year. And it did. It was a bold choice for Toronto, but I feel as one who grew up Catholic and gay, this film would both provide powerful story telling alongside key learnings and challenging our audience in relation to Queer cinema growing up.

In your eyes, what does the TEDDY AWARD symbolize? What does it stand for? What makes it unique?
Wieland [Speck] has done the LGBT arts community worldwide a great service by creating the TEDDY. No other A-list ‘mainstream festival’ has something so unique and representative of LGBTQ issues and stories. Yes, the cinematic world’s attention is on Berlin every February, but the TEDDY ensures that our stories about our community – our struggles, our celebrations, our varied realities – are all represented. Everyone gets screen time at Berlinale in context of the TEDDY and for that I can only be grateful for being exposed, and to have an opportunity to be entertained and educated every February – to take with me the rest of the year.

Tell us about a movie you’ve recently seen.
Finally caught The Broken Circle Breakdown. Combines my love for music and strong storytelling. This film is devastating in so many ways, but the way the songs were chosen to forward the narrative and with an extraordinary lead, it’s no wonder it’s on the road to Oscar!

#teddyartist: Madlick

MadLick is an Acid dance crew from Berlin, Featuring Jiga and Eva. In their live show they use drum pads, bass guitars, analog synthesizers, vocals & other music toys. In 2013, MadLick collaborated with singer Peaches, produced the music for Bruce LaBruce’s upcoming film and was invited by Yoko Ono to open her concert at the Volksbühne.

 

When: 07.02.14
10 pm @TEDDY AWARD Grand Opening Night
Where: SchwuZ
Tickets

Meet the Jury: Ellen Becht

Name: Ellen Becht
Country: Germany
Festival: pride pictures, Lesbisch-Schwule Filmtage Karlsruhe

Ellen Becht - Kopie

How do you like Berlin? What is special about the city for you?
Berlin is marvellous. I like its cultural events (especially classical music), the intercultural living together and of course the gay scene.

How would you describe the Berlinale in one sentence?
Melting pot of different cultures

What was your first encounter with the TEDDY AWARD?
When I visited the Berlinale for the first time a few years ago, I was very delighted, that there was such a thing like the TEDDY AWARD.

In your eyes, what does the TEDDY AWARD symbolize? What does it stand for? What makes it unique?
It combines a special perspective of living with an alternative way of expression in film art.

Tell us about a movie you’ve recently seen.
I watched In the name of… [TEDDY AWARD winner 2013] about a gay priest in Poland and his coming out. I like movies showing how people develop. This one was very sympathetic, also humorous, with impressing pictures and pretty authentic actors.

#teddyartist: So Low Suicide

One day, the lead singer of ‘Call Me An Ambulance’ asked: „Is there a life after punk rock?“ Looking at suicide statistics of that genre, the answer was clear: So Low Suicide! Six years ago, a band was founded under exactly that name in Berlin. Ever since, So Low Suicide records singing birds, heart tragedies, dead celebrities and the dark side of wardrobes where our demons and angels are hidden.

 

When: 07.02.14
10 pm @TEDDY AWARD Grand Opening Night
Where: SchwuZ
Tickets

#teddyartist: Godmother

Godmother is a transgenre band that plays “oldies but newbies”, finding that middle ground between the strange and the strangely familiar. Their first anti-hit was “Theme Song from James Bond 23”, amassing over 200,000 views on YouTube (albeit mostly from pissed-off Adele fans). One year later, GODMOTHER released a 7″ single and music video for “These Things Take Time”, which No Fear Of Pop praised as “exuberant, luscious, and delightfully kinky… effectively smashed the competition for 2013’s greatest lyric.”
 

When: 07.02.14
10 pm @TEDDY AWARD Grand Opening Night
Where: SchwuZ
Tickets