I am: Organize A Screening

SCREENING FAQs
 

WHAT ARE OUR GOALS? 
I hope that we can spark discussion and activism on South Asian LGBTQ+ issues. That being my primary goal as a filmmaker, I understand that different hosts will have different goals in screening the film. For some hosts the aim will be to open a dialogue within their communities, maybe between parents and children, and for others, to press for more inclusion in a school or university or at work; for others it will be a call to reach out personally to individual LGBTQ+ people and their families; and for some it will motivate a deeper interest in learning about South Asian LGBTQ+ issues.

WHO DO I INVITE?
Invite whoever you want to invite…you are after all organizing this event. If you want to open up discussion, invite people whose opinions you are interested in and that you value. If you are aiming to make change on an issue in the community, then invite community members who you think might benefit from having a discussion on the subject of gender and sexuality. Please make sure to invite people at least two weeks in advance, followed by reminders a couple of days before.

HOW DO I GET THE FILM?
The film can be ordered online. If you are organizing a free screening for a virtual screening event, then please email sonalifilm@yahoo.com for a free online link to the film. Please use subject heading: I AM Free Screening

HOW DO I PLAN THE SCREENING PARTY?
If you have invited people you don't know, or the word has gone out more broadly, it's a good idea to have a sign-up sheet so you know how many people attended and you are able to follow up with them in the future.

Decide how you want the timing of your event to run, in order to allow for enough time for watching the film and the discussion. For example, a sample schedule might look like this:
6:30pm– 7:45pm: View the film
7:45-8:30pm: Discussion about the film.

It's a good idea to let your guests know the plans for the evening, so they can plan accordingly. Of course, for some more informal house screenings, an agenda may not be necessary. As well, different formats will dictate different agendas; if you're holding a “lunch and learn” event at an organization, you'll need to have a shorter discussion and only show part of the film, while a potluck dinner event will entail far more time for eating, discussion, and socializing.

HOW DO I RUN THE POST-SCREENING  CONVERSATION?
You can decide to let the conversation run itself. You may also download the Discussion Guide that has questions that can help you generate a conversation. Remember that it is the facilitator’s role to stress that the purpose of the discussion is to search for understanding rather than for agreement or solutions. Given this, people should obviously be both respectful and curious in regard to the different perspectives in the room.