LGBT History Month at An Lanntair, Stornoway
For the first time, An Lanntair takes part in the annual nation-wide celebration of LGBT+ culture.
An Lanntair is proud to participate in LGBT History Month this February: an annual national opportunity to acknowledge, discuss, promote and celebrate the history of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights.
We’re talking Madonna. We’re talking space aliens. We’re talking mysteries, musicals, love stories and poetry. We’re talking Valentine’s.
With the help of the Scottish Queer International Film Festival, An Lanntair has put together a fascinating programme of events throughout February 2017 that celebrate LGBT+ culture and encompass film, artist talks, literature, and even karaoke.
Recent research by the Equality Network has shown that life for LGBT+ communities can be particularly challenging in rural parts of Scotland: http://www.equality-network.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/The-Scottish-LGBT-Equality-Report.pdf.
Scott Cuthbertson of the Equality Network said: “There are LGBT people in every part of Scotland, sometimes forgotten and often with vastly different experiences of inclusion so it’s fantastic to see such a diverse mix of film, poetry, and artist talks as part of An Lanntair’s LGBT History Month programme. The visibility and inclusion of LGBT history month will hopefully provide a welcome boost to the LGBT community in Stornoway and the Hebrides.”
An Lanntair’s programme for 2017 seeks to shine a light on LGBT+ issues, art, writing, film and themes through a diversity of inspiring events for everyone. As the first ever LGBT History Month event on the Isle of Lewis, the programme is all about raising the profile and visibility of LGBT people, history, lives and experiences.
CEO of An Lanntair, Elly Fletcher, said: “I can’t wait to launch this brilliant programme of events for LGBT History Month. An Lanntair is an arts centre that sits at the heart of and serves all communities of Stornoway and the wider Outer Hebrides. For me, LGBT History Month gives us a superb opportunity to recognise and celebrate lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in our communities. For the team and I here at An Lanntair, this work does not stop at the end of the month – far from it – we are looking forward to continuing to diversify our programme throughout our annual calendar, exploring LGBT+ issues and arts across all our work”.
An Lanntair would like to invite everyone from the community to come along to this fantastic programme that promises to inspire, enlighten, engage and entertain any audience.
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Showing in the Auditorium
Fans of Madonna’s early work (i.e. everybody on the planet) won’t want to miss our screening of Strike a Pose on Thursday 9 February. This acclaimed documentary reveals the story of what befell the beautiful and talented men who shot to fame as a result of Madonna’s iconic Blond Ambition tour.
Screening in The Pocket Cinema
We have a special programme of LGBT filmmakers’ work showing in our smaller, cosy cinema space.
B-movie-meets-rom-com Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same, which is free for those aged 18 and under to attend, will screen at 2pm on Friday 10 February
On Thursday 16 February, we’ll be showing The Amina Project, an independent documentary about the startling truth behind world-famous blog A Gay Girl in Damascus
The cult 1996 film The Watermelon Woman, in which director Cheryl Dunye also stars as a filmmaker working on a video project in which she uncovers the true identity of a black actress from the 1930s formerly known only as “The Watermelon Woman”, will screen on Friday 17 February
And to top it all off, Dance, Girl, Dance, a classic comedy/musical starring Lucille Ball and directed by the prolific Dorothy Arzner (a lesbian director working during Hollywood’s Golden Era) is showing on Thursday 23 February
Artists’ Talks
On Wednesday 22 February, we’ll be hosting a talk and zine launch from local artist Andrea Ingram in the café bar’s round room. A long term resident of the island, Andrea has been documenting life on the Outer Hebrides for 10 years, capturing local personalities and stunning landscapes using a variety of vintage film cameras and techniques.
Poetry and literature
Gaelic poet Marcas Mac An Tuaneir will be giving a reading and Q&A in the gallery on Thursday 23 February. Marcas’ latest collection, ‘Lus na Tùise’ (Lavender), contains poems written in Scottish Gaelic and the poet’s own translations into English. In his poetry Marcas discusses gay issues and identities, rarely addressed openly in Gaelic writing. His work is refreshingly honest, using Gaelic in a way that reflects it as a living language that as such needs to continue to adapt and grow in the years to come.
Valentines Movie and a Meal: Love is Strange
The romantics out there will have the opportunity to celebrate Valentines with a delicious 4 course dinner in the café bar while watching Ira Sachs’ wonderful Love is Strange on Tuesday 14 February.
Rather than show a typical boy-meets-girl flick, we’ve opted for a film that takes as its theme the far less-often portrayed endurance of a lasting love that has deepened over decades. It’s funny, moving and sweet. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll wish you had left more room for your dessert.
Finale Film and Karaoke Party
On Friday 24 February we will close our first ever programme of events celebrating LGBT History Month, we’ll be showing one of the most iconic LGBT movies ever made: Hedwig and the Angry Inch. The funny and entertaining rock musical from cult filmmaker John Cameron Mitchell will be followed by a rollicking karaoke session in the café bar.
To read more about any of the events above, or to book tickets, go to: http://lanntair.com/events/category/lgbt-history-month/
Notes to Editor:
- An Lanntair is a multi-disciplinary Arts Centre in Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis.
- An Lanntair is a registered charity – SC003287
- An Lanntair is supported by Creative Scotland, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
- For more information on An Lanntair please contact Head of Marketing Christine Phillips at christine@lanntair.com or visit lanntair.com
- For more information our LGBT History Month programme please contact Programme and Marketing Officer Oriana Franceschi at oriana@lanntair.com or visit – http://lanntair.com/events/category/lgbt-history-month/
- For more information on the Pocket Cinema please visit – http://lanntair.com/creative-programme/performing-arts/pocketcinema/
- The Pocket Cinema is supported by Film Hub Scotland, part of the BFI’s Film Audience Network.