PARTICIPANTS

MANIZHA

MANIZHA — musician, independent artist, music author and performer of blue eyed soul and ethno crossing's songs.

MANIZHA is a human of the world in all meanings: she collected material from all over the world for her songs and collaborated with the best Moscow, Saint-Petersburg and London producers and musicians. She actively supports LGBTQ+, protects women and migrant rights, fights poverty and does charity work.

Her concert will be a bright "Queerfest" closing - everyone should visit it!

?lvaro Laiz

His works (from photographs to large-scale video installations) are presented in public and private collections, such as the Madrid Museum of America and INELCOM Foundation, curated by Vicente Todoli. The artist has also exhibited at the Museum of Contemporary Art Val-de-Marne (MAC / VAL) in Paris, the Museum of Contemporary Art of Castile and Leon (MUSAC), etc. Editorial clients include National Geographic, New York Times, Traveler, Forbes. Since 2017 Alvaro has been a National Geographic researcher.

TRANSMONGOLIAN photo-project presenter.

Anaraa Nyamdorj

Anaraa Nyamdorj is a Mongolian queer man of trans experience who has worked on LGBTI rights since 1997. His human rights research and community-based participatory advocacy have been invaluable to push for the normalisation of the LGBTI rights discourse in Mongolia. The international and domestic human rights awards-winning organisation, LGBT Centre, of which he is a co-founder, first Chair and former Executive Director, achieved several historical legislative changes at the national level as well as opening of social spaces that were previously inaccessible to LGBTI people through international and domestic advocacy efforts. Anaraa fled Mongolia in 2018 following imminent death threats and sought refuge in the Netherlands where he continues to pursue his engagement with artistic expression to further articulate and embody his life philosophy of equality and dignity for all.

At «Queerfest», he participates in the discussion "Pride without prejudice"

Christina Vazovsky

Podcaster and Talk podcast studio founder. Host of the "Eto proval" (“This is fail”), "Izvini, chto golosovym" (“Sorry for the voice message”), "K tebe ili ko mne?" (“To you or to me?” ) podcasts.

Christina was nominated by Forbes in the list of the most promising Russians "30 under 30", and "This is a failure" was included in the list of the best podcasts in 2019 according to Apple.

Cristina is a "Queercast" host at open-recording, held on 16th of October.

Janis Dzenis

Researcher of queer aspects in communications (Stirling University) and Aviasales PR director. Special guest of "Queercast" open-recording, held on 16th of October.

Karen Shahinyan

Journalist, producer and an open gay. He started "Straight Talk With Gay People" show in the beginning of 2020. Actor Billy Porter, tennis player Martina Navratilova, actress Cynthia Nixon, historian and writer Yuval Noah Harari and others have already been his guests.

Public talk "How about kids?" («A kak zhe deti?») participant.

Olga Shamina

Psychologist and a host of LGBTQ+ family's supporting group.

Moderator of the public talk "How about kids?".

Maria Godlevskaya

Preventing program E.V.A. coordinator, who starred in Yuri Dud's film about AIDS and HIV.

Public talk "How about kids?" participant.

Sasha Sulim

Journalist, ex special correspondent of "Meduza", author of the "Desolate place. How maniacs are caught in Russia" book and Instagram blog (@sasha__sulim) about live in a single status.

Participant of the discussion "Alone, but not lonely: why relationships are not essential for happiness anymore?".

Sasha Makhova

"Coming Out" volunteer and psychologist. She changed her profession at 26 to do what makes sense for her. Sasha worked many years in science and it has also become a part of her life. However, one day it became stifling in the rigid state systems, and Sasha faced a choice: to go further and deeper up the steps of a scientific career, or to leave science and start all over again in another area.

Participant of the discussion "Alone, but not lonely: why relationships are not essential for happiness anymore?".

Sasha Smirnova

"Alone, but not lonely: why relationships are not essential for happiness anymore?" discussion moderator, coordinator of the festival partner programs

Alina Likhter

Bisexual activist and Saint-Petersburg "Action" (“Deistvie”) LGBTQ+ community center development director.

Leader of dramatized lecture "I AM/WE ARE LGBTQ+ manifesto" (OPENSPACE)

Igor Sinelnikov

Gay activist, Saint-Petersburg "Action" (“Deistvie”) LGBTQ+ community center activist and development area coordinator, host of "Radical gay" channel.

Leader of dramatized lecture "I AM/WE ARE LGBTQ+ manifesto" (OPENSPACE).

Al Kowalski

Queer-journalist and author of the "Takie dela" (“That’s how it goes”) and Wonderzine editions. He writes about social problems and marginal groups and makes LBGTQ+ themed materials.

Lecturer of "Activism or job: how to promote the LGBTQ+ agenda in friendly media" (OPENSPACE).

Nikolay Gorbachev

LGBTQ+ activist, telegram channel "Dream faggots" author. Associate researcher of ESU Gender Research Center.

Host of "To be born gay and/or to become a fag. Why we are not «born this way»?" event (OPENSPACE).

Slava Rusova

Queer activist, musician, "Otkrytie" (“Open”) queer zine redactor. Has participated in the creation of The Calvert Journal "Russian queer revolution" material. She was included in the list of the British edition i-D, as one of the new musical Russian queer wave representatives. "Visibility" (“Vidimost”)queer media interviewer.

 Lecturer of the "Our "Visibility". How queer representation changes the world" (OPENSPACE).

Sveta Eitik

Photographer, operator and queer activist. She studies documentary photography at Rodchenko school, shoots interviews and photos for "Visibility". Her works were published at The Calvert Journal.

Lecturer of the "Our "Visibility". How queer representation changes the world" (OPENSPACE).

Katerina Suzdaleva

Body-positive and queer activist. She holds a YouTube lifestyle blog which features fem and queer topics. She took part in "Opened" x MONKI queer women dedicated material and also gave interview to Wonderzine and The Village about feminism and body-positivitivity. "Visibility" queer media translator.

Lecturer of the "Our "Visibility". How queer representation changes the world" (OPENSPACE).

Diana Kruzhnich

Queer activist and drag artist. "Visibility" queer media designer. Diana lectured about drag at "Equality Sign" (“Znak ravenstva”) and "Super-heroines" festivals. She took part in "Opened" and Amediateka special projectы as well as in The Calvert Journal «The Portraits of Russia» material. She talked with "Opened" about alternative drag scene.

Lecturer of the "Our "Visibility". How queer representation changes the world" (OPENSPACE).