'An Army of Lovers', the birth of the LGBTI movement in Sweden
An Ingrid Ryberg documentary that gathers never seen before images and three movies from the 1970s
The LGTBI Centre in Barcelona will be screening on Friday, 14 January, the documentary An Army of Lovers, a film by Ingrid Ryberg, premiered in 2018, that tells the story of the 1970s movement for the right of what is now known as the LGTBI movement in Sweden. The documentary will start at 6 p.m. and, to attend, you will need to register in advance.
In the 1970s, the Nordic country was seen as one of the most advanced when it came to its welfare state and social rights; however, homosexuality was considered a mental illness. In 1977, when the first Liberation Day was celebrated, which was the seed of Pride Day, many of the participants marched with their faces covered so they couldn't be identified. They denounced the marginalisation and oppression they suffered, and even for a large part of Swedish society, they were seen as a threat to health and social and moral stability. Ryberg's footage includes never seen images of this demonstration and witness statements. It also includes excerpts from three films released that same year: Damned Queers, Eva & Maria, and The Woman in Your Life Is You. The directors of these movies showed their disappointment through their cinematography, in which homosexuals were always portrayed as flamboyant or suicidal. The strength of the movement paid off, as Sweden became the first country where homosexuality was no longer considered a disease in 1979.
Check this link for more information and to register.