From Russia with equal love

“Once attention has shifted from the Olympics, things are likely to get much worse for LGBTQ Russians,” says Ryan Conrad, a PhD candidate at Concordia’s Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies in Society and Culture and a teacher in the Interdisciplinary Studies in Sexuality program.

A new documentary to screen at Concordia  — Children 404, slated for completion in March — explores the impact of the law on Russian LGBTQ youths and aims to keep the subject top of mind.

Though the documentary was conceived and shot by two Russian filmmakers, more than half their budget came through a crowdfunding campaign spearheaded by Conrad and three fellow Concordians.

They are Thomas Waugh, a professor at the Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema who teaches Interdisciplinary Studies in Sexuality; Svetla Turnin, BA 07, CEO of Cinema Politica and a Department of Communication Studies graduate student; and Ezra Winton, MA 08, Cinema Politica director of programming and part-time teacher at the Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema.

Named after a Russian project that supports LGBTQ teenagers, Children 404 is in the editing phase “at an undisclosed eastern European location, for the safety of the filmmakers,” says Conrad.

“A documentary has a shelf life. After the Olympics, this thing will still exist to draw attention to the issue. It also people gives a useful, concrete tool they can distribute and use in their campaign,” says Waugh.

Cinema Political will help distribute the film in North America. “This is very important because so many people make political documentaries like this, but aren’t able to distribute them properly,” says Conrad.

“Cinema Politica is in many ways one of the political nerve centres of the university and it's exciting that they're able to ensure a certain visibility and network for the film.”