Hello My Name is Lesbian
Dir: Iben Haahr Anderson & Minna Groos, Denmark, 2009, Digibeta, 52 mins, Danish with English subtitles
These experienced directors wanted to explore lesbian history ways that would confuse and provoke, make us laugh and move us, while demonstrating that “fighting for equality and freedom and the right to be different does pay.” It took them three years, and they didn’t leave much out. They have done it all with humour, irony and plain old love and commitment. The title comes from an 84-year old woman remembering the 1950s: “I never actually said ‘Hello, my name is Lesbian’”. She did however, manage to live a lesbian life.
Present day filming is interspersed with archival material, animation and stills, all accompanied by a great soundtrack. We move from the hidden clubs of the 50s to the earnest and organised 70s: the international Femø camp where women from all over the world, including New Zealanders we have known, explored the revolutionary possibilities (and fun) of everything; even turning up at prescribed times (or not) to the masturbation tent.
Women over 50 wryly remember and 42-year old Birgitta defies lesbian bed-death. 19-year old Ena, an out and defiant performer struggling with her Muslim family does indeed have every reason to be proud of herself and performance duo Fagget Fairys. Elvira discusses dildos, and Trine works toward a Utopian queer practice in a gender and sexual vacuum.
Meanwhile Katrina and Vibeke, young postal workers, plan and celebrate their traditional white wedding, and the very jolly Stine and Louise bring up their three donor children while pursuing lesbian family and other lives. For same-sex ballroom dancing devotees, the Danes show great style and costuming. Hello my name is Lesbian won the audience award at the Copenhagen Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, and is now being enjoyed at festivals around the world – becoming the “international smash” the directors conceived of in the beginning.
Preceded by What’s the Ukrainian Word for Sex? A Sexual Journey through Eastern Europe A. There isn’t one!
Total running time: 87 min
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