Category Archives: Blog

Day 2: Mexico!

To establish a theme-block at the second day of Berlinale, I want to introduce to you two films who are about people and places in Mexico.

First we have a film called “Casa Roshell”. A film about an event location in Mexico City, where everyone can be who they like to be. A kind of utopian space for people, who usually don´t have the possibility to express freely their sexuality.

The second film is a documentary about the singer Chavela Vargas, who lived all her life openly gay.  The women with the impressive voice had her career highlights in the 60´s and 90´s and turned women´s heads everywhere she went. A beautiful portrait about a far more beautiful and interesting woman. For more informations please look below! Have a nice day you all! Continue reading Day 2: Mexico!

Day 1: Panorama Opening-film “The Wound”

Beloved People, I can´t believe, but it´s true: Another year has passed and without even recognizing, the Berlinale is back again! Today it´s the opening day!

We gonna start the TEDDY programme with the Panorama opening-film called “The Wound”, which is running in CinemaxX 7 at 9 pm. In this debute feature film, South African film maker John Trengove is showing circumcision rituals and two men who are beginning to question these rituals.

In calm and detailed shots, Kwandas perspective as an outsider is shown, who has to live in a world which is rejecting him for what he is. Continue reading Day 1: Panorama Opening-film “The Wound”

Paragraph 175 An Overview

Dear Moviegoers,

At the turn of the century, TEDDY recognized the importance of remembrance and praised Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman’s “Paragraph 175”, an outstanding documentary about the dreadful German law criminalizing homosexuality. Almost two decades later, historians have shown how homosexuals suffered under National Socialism and many have fought for the memory of the victims. Lesser known is the fate of countless homosexuals after the war, the appalling story of the continuities of such an injustice into the success story of the Federal Republic.

This year’s focus is on the struggle of the members of our community who made it through these dark times, but also on the injustice of such a crime, still lingering like an open wound in German history. TEDDY is seizing the momentum of the present discussions on rehabilitation and reparations for the survivors and victims of §175. Our focus is on the unjust and unrighteous treatment of homosexuality in Germany after the war until the complete repeal of the law in the 1990s.

Continue reading Paragraph 175 An Overview

Remembrance of the homosexual victims of Franco´s fascist regime

In the movie “Bones of Contention”, which is competing for a TEDDY AWARD this year, the filmmaker Andrea Weiss takes us searching for tracks of the homosexual victims of Franco´s regime. Andrea Weiss will be in Berlin during the Berlinale and wants to invite you to join a remembrance for the victims:

“La Asociación Ex-Presos Sociales de España (Association of ex-Social Prisoners of Spain) is an organization of those who were incarcerated and persecuted under Franco’s fascist dictatorship on account of their sexual identity.

On Thursday, February 16 at 11 am, two representatives of the Association, Antoni Ruiz and Silvia Reyes, will lay a floral wreath at the Homosexuellen-Denkmal to pay tribute to the homosexuals who lost their lives in Nazi concentration camps.  Our intention is to give recognition to these victims whose ultimate sacrifice is a fundamental pillar supporting the current struggle for LGBTI and human rights.

It would be an honor to have your support and attendance at the floral offering on Thursday, February 16 at 11 am, at the Memorial to Homosexuals persecuted under Nazism in Berlin.”

Jack Woodhead

Ladies & Gentleman, please let me introduce to you our host for the Award Ceremony: Jack Woodhead!

How beautiful that there is a place for dazzling personalities on this world: once he hits the keys you´ll immidiately  recognize that he is a classical trained pianist.  Jack Woodhead embodies all other facets of his sparkling personality in no less convincing fashion. No one wears Haute Couture this casual, thinks that fast, trippy, original and makes a charming host like he does. Jack Woodhead is an allround performer who you can´t resist.