LGBT themed movie screens at Durrës University

22 May 2015 – PINK Embassy / LGBT Pro Albania in collaboration with the Embassy of Israel in Albania screened at the University of Durrës the LGBT themed film “Melting Away”. The event was held in the framework of the Festival of Diversity which commemorates the International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOT) 17 May.

The film was attended by students of the Faculty of Education and was followed by a Q&A session between the organizers and the participants. While lectures and trainings with focus on LGBTI rights are somehow “easier” digest for participants, cultural events such as a movie screening brought about les positive and friendly environment. Even though the film did not have an erotic content, many students reacted negatively to the few scenes where two gay men would kiss or hold hands. For many of them different scenes would cause laughs.

At the Q&A session some participants considered the movie as a type of propaganda through which the LGBTI community asks to be accepted in society. Another student could not perceive how “for a personal ego” LGBTI people do not accept to live in society like everybody else. The Q&A served to discuss on a lot of the prejudices and issues faced by LGBTI people. What remains problematic however is the invisibility of LGBTI people in Albanian society, even in student environments. Not a single participant considered this a human right issue and very few of those who made comments had something positive to say.

PINK Embassy will continue to hold lectures, trainings and other awareness activities in schools and universities being aware that prejudice and discrimination against LGBTI people remains high.

PINK thanks also the Embassy of Israel for making possible the screening of the movie as well as the University of Durrës for cooperating in screening this movie.