March For Dignity

This documentary follows a small group of LGBTQ activists in Tiblisi, Georgia, as they plan for the first ever Pride March in the country. Queer and trans rights are virtually non existent for Georgians, and activists face harsh and overwhelming opposition from far right nationalist groups, the Georgian Orthodox Church and politicians. This resistance has taken the form of threats, physical attacks, and rallies attended by thousands of violent counter-protesters (the images of which will be shockingly similar to the increasing white supermacist rallies in North America). With membership within the European Union and anti-Russian imperialism as a geopolitical backdrop, this film is a dense and complex depiction of a nation at a turning point, with it’s vulnerable queer citizens on the front lines of conversations around national identity.

Far from the normalized corporate sponsored Prides in many western nations where politicians wave flags and sit on floats, Tiblisi’s march is a very real and terrifying physical risk for every single participant. While March For Dignity is deeply specific to the experiences of queer Georgians, the struggles and perils of front line advocacy for queer and trans rights should strike close to our hearts; our rights as queer and trans people are unfortunately not a given, and every victory has been hard fought, often by the most at-risk and marginalized members of our communities. This brave and intelligent documentary should serve as a call for support for queer Georgians, and a reminder that our safety within the nation state is only won through vigilance and solidarity in the face of oppressive power.