Saw this at the Johns Hopkins screening in DC. It tells the compelling story of how the LGBT community took root in Albania, a country with a long history of communist dictatorship and anti-gay sentiment, growing from meetings in the capital city, to neighborhood awareness campaigns, and finally bursting onto the national TV stage with debates and open interviews.
The first hand accounts, some frightening, some funny, of how the movement grew to encompass art shows attending by dignitaries and annual pride rides, were fascinating to hear.
Being a former Albanian Peace Corps Volunteer, this film really hit home. Its what the Peace Corps SHOULD be showing new recruits looking to make a difference abroad. How to start from scratch, gather interested locals who want to make a difference, provide guidance and structure, and let them grown into their own thing. One of the guys in the movie said it best. It's not about us telling others how to be, or what to do. It's about us helping them to be what they WANT to be, without outside supervision at all.
The first hand accounts, some frightening, some funny, of how the movement grew to encompass art shows attending by dignitaries and annual pride rides, were fascinating to hear.
Being a former Albanian Peace Corps Volunteer, this film really hit home. Its what the Peace Corps SHOULD be showing new recruits looking to make a difference abroad. How to start from scratch, gather interested locals who want to make a difference, provide guidance and structure, and let them grown into their own thing. One of the guys in the movie said it best. It's not about us telling others how to be, or what to do. It's about us helping them to be what they WANT to be, without outside supervision at all.
