Movie-Database: Movies

Themenabend LGBTI Jamaika







Credits

Name: Themenabend LGBTI Jamaika

Year of publication: 2015

Color: color

Guest: Edwards, Simone; Lewis, Dane

Abstract

This documentary shows examples of how homosexuals are discriminated against in Jamaica and forced to live a clandestine lifestyle. Simone Edwards, a young mother now living in the Netherlands, and Maurice, a LGBTI activist who fled to Canada, are just two of many lesbian and gay Jamaicans who were forced to leave their homeland following violent assaults and death threats. Homophobic fanatics in Jamaica have stopped at nothing –

murder included – and the number of victims has risen steadily in recent years. The film accompanies the protagonists for several years and tells of the violence they have experienced, their fears and social uprooting.

The film has won several awards at festivals both in the Caribbean and internationally, including a Human Rights Award from Amnesty International. 

In cooperation with Lesben- und Schwulenverband in Deutschland e. V. (LSVD), Feminale, LaDOC,

RUBICON/baraka, Institut für Geschlechterstudien der FH Köln, ARCUS Stiftung, Schwules Netzwerk NRW,

Länderarbeitsgemeinschaft Lesben in NRW, HannchenMehrzweck-Stiftung and Dreilinden gGmbH

In the presence of protagonist Simone Edwards and Jamaican activist Dane Lewis


Simone Edwards is one of the protagonists of the film THE ABOMINABLE CRIME, about homophobia in Jamaica. After an attempt on her life, she fled to the Netherlands, where she now lives with her daughter Khalya and works as a nurse. 

Dane Lewis serves as the Executive Director of Jamaica’s premier human rights organisation launched on 10 December 1998 to serve the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered persons. He joined J-FLAG as a volunteer in 1998. His love for service and advocacy was borne out of the fact that he was a victim of a homophobic attack in 1996 and felt it was time to make his contribution towards the fight for equality.

He manages an eight-member team tasked with implementing various aspects of the LGBTI human rights work in Jamaica, including legal reform, crisis intervention, advocacy, and documentation. Lewis has headlined a participatory human rights video campaign for the rights of Jamaica’s LGBTI community entitled WE

ARE JAMAICANS, which can be found on YouTube.