THEY HATE ME IN VAIN - LGBT Christians in Today's Russia
Director Yulia Matsiy
Countries Italy
Duration 66 min
Synopsis
The first film to address the reality of LGBT Christians in Russia., The film has an Amnesty International (Italian Section) Patronage. LGBT Christians are a double minority. They are hated by the atheist LGBT majority and they are hated by other Christians. Their situation has become increasingly difficult since the passing of homophobic law 6.21 in 2013. This legislation outlaws the “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations to minors.” The law pretends to protect minors from moral corruption, but in reality it legitimizes violence against LGBT people, promotes bullying, stifles freedom of the press and deflects attention away from the country’s real social problems. This film mainly deals with the current situation in Russia. However, its issues are common to all territories of the former Soviet Union. The film features Russia’s most well-known LGBT activists:, Andrew Obolensky, Nikolay Alexeyev, Valery Sozaev and Yury Maximov, as well as Bishop Volodymyr Wilde of the autocephalous Greek Orthodox Church and Pastor Jim Mulcahy of the Metropolitan Community Church (MCC). The film presents:, - Footage of demonstrations and protests in Moscow,, - Material from Russian language websites dedicated to documenting violence against LGBT people - Exclusive footage from an ecumenical Christian worship service held to close the 6th Annual Eastern European and Central Asian Forum of LGBT Christian groups, this year in Kiev (Ukraine) - Testimony by common people who want their voices heard in Europe and across the world. The original title refers to the Gospel of John 15:25. According to the Synod translation into Russian, this phrase literally means, “They hate me in vain”. It reminds us that Jesus Himself was persecuted for His ideas which society saw as contradicting morals of the majority.
The first film to address the reality of LGBT Christians in Russia., The film has an Amnesty International (Italian Section) Patronage. LGBT Christians are a double minority. They are hated by the atheist LGBT majority and they are hated by other Christians. Their situation has become increasingly difficult since the passing of homophobic law 6.21 in 2013. This legislation outlaws the “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations to minors.” The law pretends to protect minors from moral corruption, but in reality it legitimizes violence against LGBT people, promotes bullying, stifles freedom of the press and deflects attention away from the country’s real social problems. This film mainly deals with the current situation in Russia. However, its issues are common to all territories of the former Soviet Union. The film features Russia’s most well-known LGBT activists:, Andrew Obolensky, Nikolay Alexeyev, Valery Sozaev and Yury Maximov, as well as Bishop Volodymyr Wilde of the autocephalous Greek Orthodox Church and Pastor Jim Mulcahy of the Metropolitan Community Church (MCC). The film presents:, - Footage of demonstrations and protests in Moscow,, - Material from Russian language websites dedicated to documenting violence against LGBT people - Exclusive footage from an ecumenical Christian worship service held to close the 6th Annual Eastern European and Central Asian Forum of LGBT Christian groups, this year in Kiev (Ukraine) - Testimony by common people who want their voices heard in Europe and across the world. The original title refers to the Gospel of John 15:25. According to the Synod translation into Russian, this phrase literally means, “They hate me in vain”. It reminds us that Jesus Himself was persecuted for His ideas which society saw as contradicting morals of the majority.