SA LGBTIQ+ Rights Watch: September 2022

Glamour's annual Women of the Year awards have celebrated all kinds of influential women. Though the honorees come from different backgrounds, they share a common thread: They're doing work both big and small to highlight their communities, inspire us, and enact change throughout the globe. On Tuesday, November 1, we'll pay tribute to our at the Women of the Year event.

EXCLUSIVE: Shout! Studios has acquired all North American rights to the feature documentary Refuge from levelFILM, Katie Couric Media and Artemis Rising Foundation. The multi-platform entertainment distribution and production arm of Shout! Factory plans to release the film in theaters and across all major digital platforms early next year.

“CSI” showrunner and executive producer Carol Mendelsohn and producing partner Julie Weitz have struck a multi-year first-look broadcast direct deal with Fox Entertainment, president of entertainment Michael Thorn announced at MIPCOM Cannes. The duo’s previous deal with Universal Television is now over.Under the terms, Mendelsohn and Weitz will develop scripted dramas for the Fox.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent ITV in the U.K. has acquired “Bali 2002,” a new four-part drama exploring the everyday heroes directly impacted by the terrorist bombings on the Indonesian island’s tourist hotspots 20 years ago. Represented by Banijay Rights, the drama stars Rachel Griffiths (“Total Control”), Richard Roxburgh (“Rake”) and Claudia Jesse (“Bridgerton”). It will air on the new streaming service ITVX next year. “Bali 2002” was co-produced by Banijay labels, Endemol Shine Australia and Screentime, and marked the first original drama co-commissioned by the Australian streamer Stan and commercial TV group 9Network. The series premiered last month on Stan.

Johannesburg Pride will host its annual Pride event on Saturday 29 October to celebrate the LGBTIQA+ community in South Africa and around the continent.

José Lopez from Puerto Rico was crowned Mr Gay World 2022 at the Artscape Opera House in Cape Town on Saturday night.

Thania Garcia With superstars like Bad Bunny and Rosalía up in multiple races, this year’s Latin Grammys on Nov. 17 in Las Vegas promise to be a big draw. A vast array of genres and artists from all over the world, ranging from legends to rookies, graced the nominations list this year. Rauw Alejandro scored a record of the year nod alongside Shakira for their reggaeton banger “Te Felecito,” plus Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo and Noah Goldstein earned their first-ever Latin Grammy noms this year for their work on Rosalía’s “Motomami.” But there are plenty more notables and surprises scattered throughout the list, here are a few:

Delegates from around the world have started arriving in Cape Town as they prepare to compete for the coveted Mr Gay World 2022 title.

responded to the letter in vague terms without addressing any specific demands, the showrunner group hit back with a second letter that more clearly delineated the dangers pregnant women face in abortion-hostile states, this time sent directly to studio heads. To date, several studios have pledged to work with the coalition to set up a 24-hour Reproductive Health Safety Hotline and to develop employee protections in states like Georgia, Texas and Alabama where abortion access has been restricted.

A parents rights group is filing a complaint with the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights over a high school theater production which appears to limit participation only to students of color.  Newton North High School’s Theater Ink program is putting on a production in January 2023 titled "Lost and Found: Our Stories as People of Color." According to the show audition packet, "Lost and Found will be a reserved safe space for this exploration and for people of color to be vulnerable and support one another." Parents Defending Education filed complaint alleging that the action is "in violation of both Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 … and the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution." "The performance description does not assert that participation in this performance is open to all," the complaint continues.  Theater Ink, according to its website, is "Newton North High School's Teaching and Working Theatre, is a student-centered community that emphasizes the process of artistic collaboration and instills a disciplined work ethic." The site links directly to a Black Lives Matter website, and the audition for "Lost and Found" asks students how they "identify racially/ethnically." The audition pamphlet also specifies that weekly rehearsals for the production will include "organized discussions about race and identity in our lives."  "Regardless of intent, American public schools may not offer opportunities to students on the basis of skin color.

Pretoria Pride once again took over the Centurion Rugby Club for the 2022 edition of one of South Africa’s biggest queer gatherings.

Pretoria Pride once again took over the Centurion Rugby Club for the 2022 edition of one of South Africa’s biggest queer gatherings.

Katie Reul editor “Encanto” swept the 37th annual Imagen Awards, which was held Sunday at Downtown Los Angeles’ La Plaza de Cultura y Artes, but the Disney musical movie was closely matched by several wins from Hulu’s “Love, Victor.” Overall, “Encanto” creators took home the most awards of any nominated project and were recognized for Best Feature Film, Best Music Composition for Film or Television, Best Music Supervision for Film or Television and Best Director – Feature Film, which co-director Charise Castro Smith was not expecting. “I’m pretty sure my mom is never going to live down the fact that I won a best director award when nominated against Stephen Spielberg,” Castro Smith, who is also known for producing “The Haunting of Hill House,” joked with the audience during her acceptance speech. “That’s serious bragging rights for her Zumba class.”

Summer's festival season is firmly behind us now, and the city's gig scene is back in top gear. As well as the established venues that have become stalwarts in this review series, the city welcomed a new one: New Century Hall.

Tricia Tuttle will step down as BFI Festivals Director following this year’s London Film Festival, the BFI announced today. She will remain in post through to early 2023 while the BFI recruits a replacement. 

Only Bruce Willis has the rights to Bruce Willis’s face, it transpires.

Our favorite celebrities are bringing babies into the world!

The stars are welcoming babies!

Out and proud goalkeeper Phuti Lekoloane is a champion of LGBTIQ+ inclusion in football (Photo: Daniel Hlongwane)