Festival recap — discussions on feminism at Luminato 2018
Every summer, the Luminato festival shines a spotlight on arts and culture in Toronto. The festival connects local and international voices, with programs that explore questions on equality, human rights, justice and inclusion. The Artistic Director of the festival, Josephine Ridge captures it best, saying:
“Women’s rights, human rights, the freedom to express oneself in order to ensure the open discussion necessary for injustice to be exposed, to fight for change and to achieve real outcomes; all these discussions are happening on our stages because they are also happening outside the theatres, in our lives.”
I managed to catch only a couple festival events; both of which highlighted female voices and unpacked notions of feminism today. Here’s what went down.
No Going Back: Future Feminism, a town hall meeting
On Saturday June 9th, artists, students, advocates, and community leaders joined forces for a town hall meeting presented by the Globe and Mail. Moderated by Member of Parliament Celina Caesar-Chavannes, the panel on stage featured artist Vivek Shraya, women’s political empowerment advocate Arezoo Najibzadeh, advocacy & outreach coordinator Krysta Williams, and filmmaker and activist Tessa Hill. The group of game changers had a conversation packed with themes of unlearning, allyship, notions of femininity, and figuring out where to go from here to make change.
In the midst of rainbow capitalism and the careless use of protest hashtags, the discussions around allies and allyship were especially relevant. Highlighting that being an ally is an ongoing and active role, the panel discussed turning the dialogue from allies to the notion of allyship. “Show me what you’re doing,” Krysta comments in response to performative allyship from those who only appear as allies to a community but don’t make the effort to educate themselves on pressing issues or put in work that elevates the group.
After constantly trying to reach and gain the understanding of oppressors, Vivek describes feeling demoralized. Looking to community leaders like Krysta who delivered her introduction in a blend of English and her native Indigenous language, Vivek highlights the importance of speaking to and within your own community.
The conversation bled into the panelists’ thoughts on using their voices, community roles, and art for activism. To read more about panelist, artist, and activist Tessa Hill’s filmmaking, see my interview with her here.
Amal Clooney in Conversation with Nick Clooney
Let’s talk about Amal Clooney; a global figure known for her work in international law and human rights. As part of Luminato, Amal joined the stage with journalist Nick Clooney for a conversation on her work in supporting human rights. There were many highlights to the night, between Amal recounting her family taking part in March for Our Lives, and describing the strength of the Yazidi women who were held as sex slaves by Islamic State militants.
The conversation turned to feminism when Nick pointed out how Roy Thomson Hall’s room was mostly full of young women. On the topic of feminism, Amal emphasizes that she believes it all boils down to “women having choices,” highlighting that the challenges women face differ depending on the country they live in. “In some parts of Africa, you’re fighting not to be genitally mutilated. In some parts of Asia, you’re fighting to choose who you marry. In the West, you’re still fighting for equal pay for equal work.”
Since Amal has only recently been thrusted into the Hollywood spotlight, Nick asked her what the best part of fame is. Noting that “the worst things happen in darkness,” she explains how fame has allowed her to shine a spotlight on issues that would otherwise not receive a lot of attention. “Sunlight is the best disinfectant,” Amal reiterates to the sold-out room.
Recap
Ultimately, the conversations around feminism at the festival strived to be inclusive and intersectional in understanding and acknowledging the minorities within minorities. The range of voices was refreshing, and blend of stories and experiences that everyone brought to the table were incredibly entertaining.
The only other Luminato event that I managed to catch was Le Grand Continental’s outdoor choreographed dance extravaganza at Nathan Phillips Square. Calling it fun would be an understatement! Before I caught it live, I read a review from voir.ca that referred to it as “an artistic experience that has an undeniable social, human and collective impact… A veritable feast with energy that is contagious.” The energy was definitely contagious enough for strangers to join in dancing in the rain after the performance was over.
It was the same energy of artistic expression that flowed throughout the female-focused events, with young girls leaving the rooms inspired and connecting with others on and off stage.
