Some Unpreventable Adventures in Lesbian Flirtation
Campy, thought provoking and fun, Only Enough to Ignite is a feature length international docu-drama exploring the techniques and traditions, triumphs and uncertainties of erotic communication. The project combines storytelling, interviews and dramatic enactments in order to fashion a map of one of the most important parts of lesbian life. It reveals, not only the many pleasures of flirtation, but also underlying issues of power, identity and the functions of community.
OBJECTIVES
This project is designed with full appreciation for the fact there are as many varied flirtation techniques as there are lesbians. It is one of the central intentions of this project to provide an inclusive vision of lesbian realities: one that is reflective of global demographics. This representation of various nationalities and languages will provide an unprecedented degree of visibility for lesbians from around the world, particularly those lesbians who do not conform to north american standards and assumptions about who lesbians are and how they behave.
Our ambitions for the movie are as follows:
- to document areas of lesbian culture that have frequently been overlooked;
- to examine flirtation within the contexts of racism, sexism, homophobia, ageism, classism etc.;
- to promote self-empowerment and self-confidence by increasing our understanding of erotic communication;
- to promote values of emotional and physical safety and respect;
- to examine the multifaceted diversity of lesbian cultures on a global scale
- to promote the fun of flirtation.
DIRECTOR/PRODUCER
Gitanjali (a.k.a. Gita Saxena) is a Toronto-based independent film and video maker. She has made six short documentaries and animated films over the last five years. Her works have been seen around the world at numerous festivals and grassroots community events as well as on television and at theatrical screenings.
Having dealt with a variety of complex topics and issues, ranging from racism and AIDS to ordinary shyness, she has developed a keen interest in exploring any creative activity that unlocks visceral and community potentials.
For more detailed information you might want to look at Gita's CV.
PRODUCTION SCHEDULE
PRE-PRODUCTION
To date we have completed the following:
- research (including preliminary interviews and flirtation workhops)
- securing production funds
- second draft of script
- completion of Only Enough to Ignite trailer
October-December
- website opening (guess that's done!)
- community-based fundraising
- finalizing of interviewees & crew
PRODUCTION
January-March 1997
- shooting on location in: Moscow, Cape Town, Bangkok & Mexico City
- raising post-production money
- shooting dramatics in Toronto
- script revisions
- rough edit
POST-PRODUCTION
July-August
- final edit
- publicity
- release
- buy a new outfit!
MARKETING PLAN
Initially, the movie will make the rounds of the international lesbian and gay film festival circuit. As it does, we will be publicizing it's availability on VHS in the spring of 1998 (aproximately nine months after its premiere.) Lesbian Flirtation Techniques Workshops will be arranged to coincide with screenings of the movie, affording us further opportunity to promote the forthcoming VHS release and take advanced orders.
Mail order will be available through the Only Enough to Ignite website, as well as via surface mail. The movie will also be available for educational use and exhibition through Gitanjali's distributors: VTape, Video Out and Women Make Movies.
We will also be publicizing that a portion of our profits will be allocated to lesbian media projects in the South.
WE WANT TO BE YOUR TAX BREAK!
We can offer charitable receipts to anyone wishing to participate financially in this project. We are especially welcoming of funds from lesbians, because we see it as a vote in favour of our efforts to bring new and challenging images of lesbians to our screens-- images that are directly relevant to lesbians around the world. Your charitable dollars will be put to good use, you have our word on it!
If you want more information before you commit yourself to a donation, please feel free to email us with your questions or requests for more information. (firebox@interlog.com)
We are also looking for donations-in-kind. If you know how we might secure goods and services, especially in those places where we'll be shooting next spring (Cape Town, Moscow, Bangkok and Mexico City) we'd love to hear from you. Some of the things that would be especially helpful for making the project come together include:
- plane tickets or the loan of vehicles,
- lights, dollies, or other film equipment,
- catering or accomodations for the crew.
A portion of our budget depends upon private financing and foundation monies. If you know of any foundations or patrons of the arts that we might have overlooked, please drop us a line.
If you choose to make a contribution to the project we'll keep you updated on the progress of the project and show you how your money is being spent. Or, if you just want to know more about our project, we would be happy to talk with you and send you a complete information package. Interested? Email us at firebox@interlog.com
DISTRIBUTION AND ORDERING INFO
Curators, educators, community groups and individuals interested in ordering a copy of Only Enough to Ignite, please send us your email or snail mail adress, and we will send you an announcement when the project is ready.
A portion of profits from English language sales will go towards translations and subtitling in different languages, according to demand, and making the video and other media projects available for lesbians living in the South.
Acknowledgements and Thanks
We appreciate the financial support of:
- Canada Council
- Ontario Arts Council
- Toronto Arts Council
- Toronto Lesbian and Gay Community Appeal.
Thank you!
We are also pleased by the overwhelming response and co-operation we have had from the communities at home, and those we have already visited, with our workshops in Berlin, Bombay, Toronto, SanFrancisco, Beijing (in absentia) and Calgary.
Web Site Creation
We wanted to tease and tantalize, inform and involve our visitors in our lesbian flirtation adventure. We had a million ideas about how to do it, but only so many can fit in one project or on one page. We'll be posting new info as we go and we're especially excited about including the stories, ideas and opinions of our vistors. This will be the perfect continuation of the collaboration that brought the site into being.
The "we" of the web site are Gita and me--Kathleen Pirrie Adams.
(For more information you might want to look at Kathleen's Bio.)
We hope you've enjoyed your visit.
