https://youtu.be/BpjngughlI8
TAIPEI, Taiwan – The first and only LGBTQ film festival in Taiwan – The Taiwan International Queer Film Festival (TIQFF) is returning for its 3rd year and includes for the first time the Queermosa Awards – an LGBT awards ceremony with the mission “to celebrate diversity and accelerate acceptance”. The Awards will take place at W Taipei Friday, Oct. 28, one day before the Taipei LGBT Pride Parade, the largest Pride event in Asia.
The Queermosa Awards have garnered enormous support from celebrities. “I know so many talented LGBT friends who don’t get the respect they deserve, at work or at home. I hope that with however little power I have, I can use my platform to raise awareness on the challenges they face and to shine some light on their stories,” said Ella, one-third of the super girl group S.H.E and TIQFF Festival Ambassador 2016. Ella is among many celebrity presenters and the evening will also feature performances by popular singers Ailing Tai, Eve Ai and out gay singer-songwriter HUSH.
Inspired by the GLAAD Media Awards, Queermosa has received warm blessings and consultation from the GLAAD core team. Ray Bradford, director of programs at GLAAD has been extremely supportive and shared his experience and resources to help conceptualize Queermosa. President and CEO of GLAAD, Sarah Kate Ellis is also thrilled about the event and has recorded a video message to be shown at the awards ceremony.
“Queermosa is our latest project to highlight those who are bringing diversity and inclusion to great media content. Media is the storyteller of our society and when it honors its agency with fair and accurate reporting of LGBT stories and diverse programming that includes multi-faceted LGBT characters, there comes the opportunity to reshape our own culture,” said Jay Lin, CEO of Portico Media and Festival Founder and Director of TIQFF, who came out to his family with the founding of TIQFF.
Taiwan has been long hailed the beacon of Asia’s LGBT rights. In January, Taiwan voted in its first female president Tsai Ing-wen who has been a vocal supporter of LGBT rights and marriage equality. Since then, Taiwan has welcomed Audrey Tang, the youngest and first transgender official in the executive government.
The 3rd Taiwan International Queer Film Festival runs from Oct. 22-30.
