English below

Deze documentaire schetst een beeld van Connie Norman (1949-1996), zelf-aangewezen ‘AIDS DIVA’ en woordvoerder voor ACT UP/LA in de late jaren 80 en vroege jaren 90 in Los Angeles, beschreef haarzelf als “ex-drag queen”, “ex-hoer”, “ex-IV drugsgebruiker”, “ex-probleemjongere” en “post-operatieve transseksuele vrouw die hivpositief is” en simpelweg “een mens op zoek naar haar menselijkheid”.

Met haar meervoudige, fluïde lhbtq-identiteiten, was ze een trotse maar eenzame voorvechtster van de ontluikende trans gemeenschap in die tijd. Op compassievolle en doortastende wijze wist Connie bruggen te slaan tussen genders, gemeenschappen en het politieke veld.

Regisseur Dante Alencastre uit Los Angeles is aanwezig om de film in te leiden. Daarnaast zal hij zijn documentaires Raising Zoey en Aids Diva doneren aan het archief van IHLIA. Na de film volgt een Q&A met Dante geleid door Martien Sleutjes.

Gratis toegang. Reserveer je plek via: aanmelden@ihlia.nl

Screening AIDS DIVA: The Legend of Connie Norman with director Dante Alencastre in attendance.

As the self-appointed ‘AIDS DIVA’ and masterful spokesperson for ACT UP/LA in the late 80s and early 90’s Los Angeles, Connie Norman described herself as “ ex-drag queen, ex-hooker, ex-IV drug user, ex-high risk youth and current post-operative transsexual woman who is HIV positive” and simply “a human being seeking my humanity.”

Standing proudly in her multiple, fluid and evolving LGBTQ identities, she was often a lone advocate for the fledgling trans community of that era. Both beloved and confronting, Connie’s soulful and salty rantings and intersectional politics were heard widely through her local LGBT newspaper column and her pioneering LGBTQ cable television talk show.

Modeling ‘wokeness’ in an earlier era of crisis, Connie’s piercing and compassionate voice, through these rare vintage video clips, leaps into the present, urging us again to wake up, to take action, and to fully engage with our collective lives and our world.

Registration: aanmelden@ihlia.nl

This screening is free of charge.

www.aidsdivaconnie.com
@dalencastre

Director Dante Alencastre, a film maker, activist and artist from Los Angeles will be present at the screening to introduce the film. In addition, he will donate his documentaries Raising Zoey and Aids Diva to the IHLIA archive. After the film there will be a Q&A with Dante, led by Martien Sleutjes.

His work combines and blurs the boundaries between filmmaking, activism and community participation by documenting and amplifying the under-told, but extraordinary stories of local LGBT activist heroes, told with depth, respect and sensitivity and then shared with national and world-wide target audiences. 

His film and activist work has focused particularly on the overlapping Latino/a, Transgender and Gender non-conforming sub-tribes within the community.