I’ve been quite ill, but am on the mend. 2013 has not been my year, dear friends. However, I still have some exciting things to report:
My documentary with Nathan Gale, ‘I’m Not Your Inspiration’, will screen at Fringe! Festival in London (April 11-14). And after a successful debut at the macrobert in Stirling, all the films from my Queer & Trans* Deaf & Disabled Video Project will screen:
18th April, 7pm media education 183 Dalry Road, Edinburgh £3/£2
(Thanks to the LGBT History Month arts commission for making the project possible, and to Scottish Transgender Alliance for the catering!)
Then in June the entire film programme will take off to Berlin, land of many lovely people and organisations — including Entzaubert Film Festival!
In other news, Zorras are no more (in case you hadn’t noticed). Y had a personal emergency and left the country. Five years of awesomeness has come to an end. RIP et cetera.
Opportunity for Queer, Trans* & Intersex Deaf & Disabled People To Make & Screen a Short Film (Scotland)
Please repost this widely as my time to find people for the workshops and mentorship is very limited. Thanks in advance!
Sandra
x
Sometimes there are those nights that are so very swell. Last night, I curated and Zorras hosted Clandestina at Toronto Women’s Bookstore. We had the most lovely crowd packing the place, and brill readings and performances. Special thanks to Victoria & Edan of TWB, and to Melannie Gayle (aka Trinity), Sarah Pinder and Dainty Smith for their moving, funny and generally excellent work. And a big Cachin! Cachan! Cachunga! for DJ pocaSangre, who kept us dancing into the wee hours.
Beautiful, beautiful vibes all round.
Forgot to show you this! The slick vid by Ania Urbanowska of Zorras’ Cachín Cachán Cachunga!last February in Edinburgh. Featuring all kinds of rad queer & trans artists, especially of the migrant, ME and disabled variety. Subtitled! Sexy!
Cachín Cachán Cachunga! Saturday + Some Bitching
Cachín Cachán Cachunga! is at The Wee Red Bar on Saturday 11th February at 7pm. Don’t miss it! There will be music, there will be film, there will be poetry, dance and burlesque. There will be DJ Leggy Pee. There will be some of the hottest and most talented trans and queer artists in the UK: Lily & Yamil, Dr Carmilla, CN Lester, Jacqueline Applebee, Nathan Gale, Robert Softley and Glasgow Glam Bangers! Hosted by Zorras, who will do two new short pieces to warm things up. It’s CCC’s THIRD ANNIVERSARY and it’s gonna be yummy! Fully accessible and BSL-interpreted, and featuring several kick-ass disabled performers!
In related news, Edinburgh Books refused to put up a poster for the event. (This is the bitching part.) The man, who failed to identify himself except as @edinburghbooks on twitter, originally accepted the poster then refused it when he read it was queer and trans. He denies having told our artist that the event was against his principles, but has failed to clarify his poster policy, except to say that he only puts up posters of events that he would personally promote. He also failed to answer questions as to whether he would promote queer and trans literature. Instead he invited us off twitter to chat at his shop — which to be honest, I have no intention of ever visiting again. If you can’t be honest in public, why would I talk to you in private? Sadly, boycotting Edinburgh Books means missing some of the West Port Book Festival.
But onward! More bitching. It looks like Bongo Club is being evicted, which adds to the growing list of wonderful indie spaces that have been forced to close recently in Edinburgh. BC may soon join Cabaret Voltaire, The Roxy, The Big Red Door and The Forest in the graveyard of Beautiful Venues Forced Out By Jerks. Sign here to try to stop it!
See above re why Zorras are seriously considering relocating. Edinburgh is getting us down, man. Not that it’s ever been especially kind to us. But sheesh. Luckily we have Cachín Cachán Cachunga! and The Scottish Transgender Alliance, and the many lovely indie artists who are struggling to keep it going here.
xxx
Sandra Alland is a writer, performer and intermedia artist. This is where she writes and posts photos, videos and recordings, sometimes. More info on Sandra at http://www.blissfultimes.ca
