Managing to overcome all odds Side by Side LGBT Film Festival, Russia is already into its 5th year of existence and in Saint Petersburg, October, 2012 we will be celebrating this landmark achievement.

The fourth Side by Side LGBT Film Festival, which ran from the 21 – 30 October, 2011, was a major success on many fronts being held at various centrally located venues across the city. Throughout the ten days of festival events were highly attended and in the region of over 2000 people came to watch award winning LGBT films from around the world and to participate in discussions on the lost history of LGBT, homosexuality and religion and the censorship of LGBT rights and issues in the Russian Media. Among the guests were British singer Marc Almond and after the screening of his chosen favourite film Victim starring the legendary Dirk Bogarde joined the audience in conversation. South African photographer and lesbian activist Zanele Muholi (Difficult Love, 2011) Marcus Lindeen (Regretters, Sweden, 2010), Benjamin Cantu (Harvest, Germany, 2011) and Yair Qedar (Gay Days, Israel, 2009) were also in attendance.

With each passing year the festival continues to carve out within the public space discussion for LGBT issues and rights, increasing the visibility of the LGBT community and ultimately the propagation of a tolerant society where sexual minority groups and individual freedom and choice are both respected and protected.

Side by Side runs a competition for best feature, documentary, short film and
audience award. All films selected are part of the competition and have a chance
to compete for the the BOBIK Award -
Russia’s first and only award to recognize LGBT film making!

  
Please Send Entries to:

Side by Side
LGBT International Film Festival,
Westpost PL 109,
Box: 1243,
Lappeenranta, 53101,
Finland

All entries should include a DVD screener and any
promotional material and/or application (below). This can also be emailed to us
at submission [at] bok-o-bok.ru

On line viewing of films is also possible. Please
send your link and password to submission [at] bok-o-bok.ru