me with Misha san

I was introduce to Misha san from friends who work at Nantoka bar. Misha san is a queer or gay person but from working class. He become master(person who run or handle a bar/pub) to Akane pub around 10 years a go. He also mention he scared to go to Nichome, a famous place for lgbt people hang out mainly because of financial problem. Nichome is a place with many type of pubs & bars to hang out and meet people but for Misha san the place was quite intimidating and also from the appearance of other queer people to everything that relates to money. He didn't go there for a long time. I ask him wether he belongs to any Queer or LGBT group and how he get support from his peers, he said he don't belong to any and he's just happy where he is, so far the people at Akane pub is his close friends and family.

feck! ive been sucked in with Koenji's live stream and forgot to update and record here. But anyways, This post is about yesterday's film screening or what they call it Kunitachi Queer film fest.

-"Kokodenaidokoka" : (Director Nakagawa Ayumi 2010/64 minutes / English subtitles)
-"Living as a woman/Transgender Troubles" (Director: Ebata KaoruNozomi 2011/100 minutes / English subtitles)

So yesterday after some preparations before the film screening, displaying some of my illustrations on trans issues, we get to see the 2 films which is for me very, very interesting. I wish all my LGBTIQXYZ friends from PTFoundation, Seksualiti Merdeka, ATP, Ganda Filipina,etc,etc, are here with me watching the films.

Kokodenaidokoka is about an everyday life of a gay person in Japan. The director of the 2 films have a same approach following their subject matter around and its like we're watching their private lives up close, very personal, about their relationship with their love ones, family, and their interaction with society. I was surprised to see the person or actor first hand when he came to attend the screening and then watching his private lives televised right in front of our eyes. When they ask me about the films, i just said in malaisea its a bit impossible to do this and screen it in public without some security measures of the doors kicked down by the authority or religious police. But i thanked him for being so brave to have sharing with us part of his life.

Living as a woman or another title is Transgender trouble is also like the previous film, the film director following her subject matter around with a handheld camera and what i like about this film is the conversation between the person recorded and their thoughts and ideas on gender, sexuality,society,and other things often discussed within the transgender community. I find it very interesting as well that every country transgender struggles on health issues, passing issues, sexuality issues, gender issues are some of the similar things and there are also some differences. It looks like in Japan, the non-hetero people are all bundled up and labeled sexual minorities and i was told these 2 groups don't mix so much. Like in the Philippines, where non-hetero-normatives are bundled up and often called 'Bakla' which is a derogatory word equivalent to the word 'pondan' in malaisea. But i think in malaisea non-heteronormatives blended in with heteronormatives people quite well despite the divisions in class,race,economy, religion, ideologies etc...ah ok, too long but the 2 films are well recommended. The issues are too familiar and might not be that different from other Asean countries.

Oh for the artwork display during the film fest, l learn how to print stuff from the thumb drive at 711.  Very 'konbini' indeed.