Delhi's gay community celebrates art festival

GAY AND GLAD: The festival takes place a month after the success of Delhi's first ever Gay Pride Parade.

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New Delhi: A month after the success of the first ever 'Gay Pride Parade' in the Capital, the gay community is all set to begin the second edition of the festival - which is a 10 day celebration of their sexuality.

The festival is a space for the gay community to express themselves through art, and many feel it's a positive progressive step.

"The parade march was not just about protesting but also celebrating, the fact that we are out there and this city and country belongs to us too," says gay activist Priya.

"This is a positive way of showcasing homosexuals and bisexuals. The pictures and films about bisexuals, homosexuals showcase them in a positive light, instead of discriminating them," she adds.

The festival is spread across several venues in Delhi, and it showcases films, art, photography, and weaves it in with parties, talks and community centred workshops.

Also featuring in the festival are 47 films on issues of gender and sexuality in 12 languages from around the world.

"This fest therefore becomes important to initiate those discussions and bring in a forum where people can come together and watch these films," explains director, Flying inside my body, Rintu Thomas.

Also on display is German photographer, Verena Jaekel's work titled 'Queer Families'. Which comes at a time when the debate on gay couples adopting children is still new.

"It's a start here in India, and I think it's a pretty good start. It will be great to have a lot of people see the stuff to open their mind and see new things," says Jaekel.

Meanwhile, as the debate on alternate sexuality rages on, coming out of the closet might still not be an alternative for many in India. However, festivals like these not only provide a platform for people to voice their opinions, but also show a significant shift in India's urban culture.