Persiste, Resiste, Existe, Respect by Zoe

I’m trying to remember how everything started – how I entered the story about organizing Queer festival in Belgrade.

Than I see Moon, Simone, Maja and Urska in Ljubljana and I understand. Calmness of Ljubljana and stimulants of those dear persons initiated establishing of this story. I see Moon and myself over a long queer coffee talk in attractive Celica, and I remember ideas and suggestions bursting from all over. We don’t talk about festival only, we jump to queer camp and other cooperation we plan to have. I see it’s going to be unforgettable and crazy work.

In Belgrade collective started to gather. Small, but sweet and enthusiastic. WE know what we want. New or at least other/different culture. We want, as queers, to offer to people of Belgrade and elsewhere a slightly different fun. And we succeed.

Our wild energy is vital party of it. Surrounded by Milica’s cuisine, relaxed space of Zene na delu, constant flirting, cuddling and petting and amazing mutual support, we are not lost in madness of chaos and upcoming festival duties.

Opening is here. Look, there are a lot of people in our queer space – free and protected. This is amazing. I see some people for the first time (actually very few of them), and everything makes me joyful. Coming/passing of exhibitions, workshops, performances, movies, promotions, but the real emotions are waiting for me on the 6th of May.

In “Akademija” club with cult status in Belgrade is the show of three incredible bands. Beginning of that strange energy of female revolution. The whole female attack concept. Madness.

I see them appearing on stage, funny and full of queer charm, those Lolobrigida Girls. They have blown the mass away – everybody cheerfully swings.

After that are queens of the night. The beginning of the real lesbian revolution. They are calling women to get on stage, they ask: “Where is that female attack?” They are Tribad, lesbian band from Paris. They say:

Insiste, sour, sister
Persiste, sour, sister
Resiste, sour, sister
Existe, sour, sister

Bitcharke were there also, without voice, but they showed up. Respect.

It seems like this is a feminist/lesbian revolution. But not in Serbia/Belgrade, this is courage. The first verbal threats are coming from fascists and from people from security. Real verbal hell. But it ended happily. We have to take slow pace with these cultural events offering other/different/wild/politically engaged content.

Than we have conquered the street. The true relaxing package for the end, the magnificent Connie. Her appearance and show have made us believe that we are not invisible. Stop violence on the streets and that was just the beginning.

After everything, direct action of dropping banner with inscription “Stop discrimination” on one of the Belgrade biggest bridges. I am more than happy.

The very first Queer Belgrade festival passed without bruises, pain and blood. We have pushed our story with beauty and positive force. Next stories are coming, very soon.