About this Event
We are excited to announce an exclusive screening of the film “Silent Voice”, followed by a Q&A with the director Reka Valerik, Tuesday, June 21 at 7:00 pm at the iconic Angelika Film Center (18 W Houston St, New York, NY 10012). All proceeds from ticket sales would be donated to LGBT Chechnya.
Heartbreaking and incredibly human, his picture tells the story of a young Chechen fighter Khavaj, showing great promise in mixed martial arts MMA until his brother finds out about his homosexuality. Realizing that he would be killed, Khavaj was forced to flee his motherland, a traumatic experience that left him unable to speak. This documentary is about the first months of a young man's stay in another country when yesterday's life is already in the past, and the new one has not yet come.
Following the bloody purge of LGBTQ+ individuals by Ramzan Kadyrov’s regime, the conversation about the treatment of queer people in Chechnya has entered the global mainstream. In the years since 2017, it has become the subject of documentaries and international political discourse. However, “Silent Voice” is the first film that centers on the authentic point of view of somebody who is actually a queer Chechen immigrant. This is an incredibly important and necessary movie about the broken lives of minorities inflicted by political repression and lack of freedom, especially in places like Chechnya, which has been occupied by Russia after fighting two brutal wars. “I dedicated the film to all those mothers who lost their sons and daughters, who don’t know where their children are,” says Valerik.
The running time is 51 minutes, with the film containing English, Russian, Chechen and French languages. The event will be hosted by movie critic and musician Matvey Cherry, and besides Valerik, the Q&A will also feature Miloslav Chemodanov, a former editor of the largest Russian film database “Kinopoisk” and the father of the popular LGBTQ+ party “Cherti”, and Anya Panova, NYC-based director and the founder of “Shortie Film Festival”. Recording and photography will be prohibited at this event, for the safety of the director and the members of LGBT Chechnya.
This event is organized by the queer collective CEECA LGBTQ+ in partnership with LGBT Chechnya. Our mission is to bring together the entire Caucasus, Eastern Europe, and Central Asian (CEECA) LGBTQ+ community in celebration of both our shared experiences and our rich, individual cultures. Both of these collectives were founded by Leo Allenby, a gay Chechen man, who has established himself as the space-maker and producer in Moscow queer scene. However, after being a subject of multiple attacks, he escaped to the United States, where he is continuing to create queer spaces for people like him.
The attendees have an option of either purchasing a $15 ticket that is only for the screening and the Q&A, or the $20 ticket that also grants the entrance to the opening of CEECA LGBTQ+ PRIDE 2022 FESTIVAL, which would take place on Sunday, June 19th, 2022 at the largest queer club in New York City 3 Dollar Bill. All of these events are fundraisers, with 100% of profits being donated to different organizations.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Angelika Film Center, 18 West Houston Street, New York, United States
USD 15.00 to USD 20.00