Uplift Magazine

Ladyfest Takes Over The Capital!

By: Sarah Barnes, 09.05.2008 | Comments (4)

The thing with Ladyfests is that you can get swept along with something you had never intended to do, but, since everything on offer is a gem, this will never be a negative thing. Today, I had intended to go to as many workshops as I could, but instead found the sunny atmosphere (and the vegan cakes) of the Islington Arts Factory cafe too delicious to resist. Food for thought was on offer here aswell, with art adorning the walls from the likes of Nayana Fernandez Muhoz and Alex Brew (more from her later).

Getting off schedual meant that my previously planned ‘workshop day’ became my newly discovered ‘film day’ and how glad I was, since Friday’s films really summed up to me what Ladyfest is all about. We were treated with the films ‘Queers Words and Beats’, ‘London Cruisers’ and ‘I Think You Think I Think’ which were all films from first time directors. In the Q&A sessions with the film makers following their screenings, all admitted to having had a niggling need to create a film and so were forced into learning their craft as they went along. This DIY ethos is central to the Ladyfest dynamic as, for many of Ladyfest organisers, the co-ordination of such an event is the first they have ever attempted such a mammoth task and provides them with a very steep learning curve.

The film that I felt especially stood out today was ‘Queer Words and Beats’ by Katharina Ellerbrock. This epic (which was really two films completed seperately) came about because Ellerbrock could see a thriving queer music scene before her, but no one was documenting it. In true Ladyfest spirit, Ellerbrock decided to do it herself. In a time when we witness just one female act amongst 90 confirmed acts at a major UK festival (although hopefully with more female acts confirming soon!), it is refreshing to see one woman take the time to seek out great artists such as Le Tigre, Peaches and Lesbians on Ecstasy and ask them to tell their story. In response to the amateur look of her piece, Ellerbrock said “I never wanted to make a music film like MTV” and it is, indeed, the passion that speaks louder than professionalism, with her film winning a documentary award in Vienna. There is a chance to see an edited version of this film at Sunday’s Ladyfest.

The first day of Ladyfest passed in a blur for me, but the perfect end to a perfect day came with Kimya Dawson performing at the Camden Underworld. Her nursery ryme style anti-folk was loved by everyone, especially when she asked the audience to sing along. She reminded the Ladyfesters that humans are animals, just like iguanas and cows and pandas and all other kinds of animals (“Can you name any more animals? Can you make any animal noises?”) and therefore it’s not really neccessary to shave. I imagine she must make a very fun mum! Dawson finished the night by inviting a whole bunch of the audience to share the stage with her.

DIY, equality and a friendly crowd? If Ladyfest London lives up to the promise of it’s first day it looks like it’s going to be a stonker!

Edit: More thoughts on Ladyfest London over at Vertical Blue