Founded 2009 Website www.merlinka.com/ | Language International | |
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Location Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina Belgrade, Serbia
Podgorica, Montenegro Instances 2016 Merlinka International Queer Film Festival | ||
Sve ano otvaranje merlinka festivala 2016
The International Queer Film Festival Merlinka or Merlinka Festival is an LGBT-themed film festival which is annually organized in Belgrade Youth Center at the second week of December, and it lasts for five days. The festival was founded in 2009 by Gay Lesbian Info Centre and Belgrade Youth Center. It screens feature, documentary and short films from all over the world that deal with gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, intersex and queer issues.
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The festival was named after Vjeran Miladinović Merlinka, a transgender sex worker and actor who was killed in 2003. He is best known for his role in Teddy award winning film Marble Ass directed by Želimir Žilnik. The festival was founded to promote LGBT art and culture. In 2014, beside films, the festival produced a theater play about Vjeran's life, Merlinka's confession, directed by Stevan Bodroža.
Since 2013 the festival has been organized in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and in Podgorica, Montenegro since 2014. Merlinka festival is the only film festival being organized in several countries.
Awards
The Festival awards the Dorothy's slipper award for the best short film. Until 2012 the festival awarded prizes for the best feature and documentary films.