Kopkind Colony

It’s Personal, It’s Political, It’s Passionate

Please join us on Saturday, July 25, at 7:30 for a screening of Desireena Almoradie and Barbara Malaran’s new documentary, Because of You, a film they workshopped together a few years ago at Kopkind’s Film Camp collaboration with the Center for Independent Documentary. A thrill for us to present; a fascinating history of a pioneering collective of Filipnxs who came together in New York City in the mid-nineties called Kilawin Kolektibo; an extraordinary archival project. Desireena will join us to present the film and take questions after.

Culling from a treasure trove of over a quarter century’s worth of historic documentation, the film tells the story of members of the collective as they found one another, fell in love, and became each other’s lifeblood amidst a society that rejected them. Having experienced marginalization in Filipino culture because of their queerness and in mainstream gay culture because of their race, language and gender, the members of the group sought political empowerment and increased visibility.

Above all, they sought to create a space of friendship and safety for those who felt suspended between cultures and identities. Kilawin Kolektibo allowed them to transform their experience of oppression into one of joy and growth. It fostered lasting connections with similar groups in the global Filipinx diaspora, most significantly, with Babaylan, a queer Filipinx group in Toronto.

When Des and Barbie came to Kopkind/CID Film Camp, they had been working on the project only long distance. Their coming together here at Tree Frog Farm was in some ways symbolic of the story of convergences they were fashioning. Barbie gave us a vivid account of boxes of material that she had stored away under a bed, in a closet, saving for decades, for … what? Well, here they were now, drawing on that archive — footage, photographs, interviews and ephemera. Des had her own, as did other members of the kolektibo. From marching, partying and protesting, to sexual politics, this archive-driven film serves as an exhilarating memorial to the rebellion and nostalgia of the nineties and LGBTQIA+ history. 

It is also a testament to hidden histories, and to the importance of grassroots archives. Such archives are never assured, always partial; like the lives and experiences they document, they are not neat. As Andy Kopkind once said, ‘Life is not an unbroken narrative’. Because of You: A History of Kilawin Kolektibo honors such rich, passionate, exuberant life.

Please join us on Saturday, July 25, at Tree Frog Farm for this free public event. The screening will be preceded by a little wine; and afterward, a little dessert. Be there! 158 Kopkind Road, Guilford, VT 05301. At 7:30 pm. For directions or more information: jwyp2000@gmail.com.