Feature & Review: Stud Life - sexy, butch, real

For a chance to win one of 3 copies of the DVD, see the bottom of the article for competition details!

The winner of Screen Nation's Independent Spirit Film Production Award, STUD LIFE is the debut feature written and directed by multi-award winning filmmaker Campbell X. The film received its UK premiere at the BFI London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival.

STUD LIFE is a rare look at a slice of British urban life, which pays homage to Spike Lee’s She’s Gotta Have It and the self-documenting style of Steven Soderbergh’s Sex, Lies and Videotape and tells a tale of a multi-cultural LGBT London. 

It is down to earth, funny and genuinely reflective of London urban butch and lesbian life. It portrays a part of the London scene that can often be invisible with respect and sensitivity, humour and grit. It's not all roses but lesbians are resilient and overcome adversity every day. The happy ending shows how far lesbians have come as fictionalised portrayals - we no longer have to end a film with a dramatic death or loss and Stud Life offers us a triumphant, beautiful, brave, yet 'everyman' hero.

STUD LIFE is available from Peccadillo Pictures now on VOD and DVD on 8^th July and can be ordered from Amazon and iTunes. RRP £12.99

Set in East London, STUD LIFE is a sexy, young and cool gay romance revealing a unique a slice of British urban life and also boasts a memorable sound track combining Jamaican dancehall and underground British hip hop, rap and pop.

Producer, Stella Nwimo comments: “This is a heart-warming feel good urban romance, showing the lives and loves of people not often seen in British cinema.”

View the trailer:
 

What director Campbell X has to say...

We caught up with Campbell to get the low down. Campbell  said that the core of the film is a story about strong female characters. This means women of all sexual orientations, genders and ethnicities. 

"Stud Life is one which as at it's center a Masculine of Center woman, a stud, a butch lesbian. There has been a trend recently in mainstream movies and LGBT movies to use feminine presented lesbian characters as the main protagonists. This assumes all viewers have the same idea of what is "attractive" "desireable" or "marketable" in a woman is a particular kind of femininity. 

"Stud Life shows that you can have someone who is dark-skinned, African descent and masculine and get pulses raising from people of all genders and sexual orientations."

Stud Life uses real members of the lesbian scene to convey its realism. Campbell says
"There are very few films made in the UK period, and even less films made with an LGBT story. So people who were available at the time of shooting were very supportive to be in the movie. I always use real LGBT people in my films as it is my way of making sure that we and future generations know that we were here - out and proud, particularly for Queer People of Color. 

"In the polyamorous wedding Julie McNamara who has the transman lover is a playwright and the transman is played by performance artist Lazlo Pearlman. Also in this wedding scene is Stella Duffy who is an amazing writer. David McAlmont is one of our finest musicians is also present in this wedding.  Nikki Lucas who is a DJ in one of the club scenes runs Liberte and Habibi.  Mzz Kimberley is a transwoman who is in the first wedding scene, she is an amazing performer."

"DJ Misty B is a regular DJ in the legendary gay club Heaven is the other DJ in the club.  Kathleen Bryson who plays the drunken Leila, is a filmmaker and writer. Del La Grace Volcano who has documented queer life since the 1980's,  is also in some of the wedding scenes, and he also shot the wedding photos that we see."

Finally, the portrayal of a real London, the London underneath the polish and glamour was key to the film, the story and the purpose of Campbell.

"Stud Life was inspired by London. Every time I see films about London I crave to see the crazy multicultural and diverse images that feast my eyes every day. Inner city London is not a drab place for me. It is vibrant and full of colour and noise. "

Campbell is currently developing another feature film - a road trip that goes horribly wrong. Watch this space... 

Competition - win one of 3 copies

TO win a copy, all you have to do is email mail@planet-london.com with the answer to the following question:

What nights does Stud Life extra DJ Nikki Lucas run?

Closing date: Sunday 7 July, 11.59pm

Feature by: Katie

In search of Dolphins, Kayaking, Greece

5-day kayaking expedition on the north coast of Lesvos, Greece

If you want sunshine, the shimmering sea, idyllic beaches and an active escape far from the maddening crowds, this is the trip for you. Our 5-day kayaking expedition will take you on a journey to explore the very best of the Greek Island of Lesvos. What makes this trip so special is that it is a true outdoor adventure off the beaten track.

When: There are 4 trips to choose from 18-22 July; 23-27 July; 28 Jul-1 Aug; 11-15 Aug

Where: Lesvos, Greece
What: A true kayaking expedition along the spectacular north coast of the island of Lesvos
Price: £600

What is included: Full-time trip guide, all accommodation (mix of B&B/ hotels/ camping) for 5 nights, all gear rental for 5 days including kayaks, paddles, safety jackets, snorkelling kit, camping gear and all breakfast, lunch and dinner while camping. Drinks and Taverna meals, of which there will be two dinners and two lunches, will be for your own account. The trip price also includes the 3-hour island transfer from Mytilini airport to Petra where we will start the trip, as well as entry to the two best thermal baths on the island at Thermi and Mytilini.
 

A bit more about the experience:
We will be a small group of women sharing the adventure of a 5-day kayak journey, at one with nature, on one of the most beautiful stretches of the Greek coastline. We use high quality double kayaks which are very sturdy and easy to paddle. Each double kayak has packing space for your clothing, food and camping gear. All safety equipment and dry bags are provided. You need to have some basic fitness to enjoy the trip, but don’t have to be super woman, nor do you need to have prior paddling experience. We will use the first afternoon before we set off to get comfortable and competent in the kayaks.
 

Typically, after breakfast each morning we paddle for a few hours and in the afternoon take a break to swim, fish, snorkel, swing in hammocks, read, sleep in the shade, have lunch and just relax. Once the heat of the day has passed we paddle the second leg to our destination for the night. Some evenings we will wild-camp, pitch our tents, cook under the stars and chat around the campfire until bed-time, other nights we will stay in small Greek hotels and eat at the local Greek Tavernas – the food is gorgeous and fresh and healthy, and above all delicious, especially after a day on the water.
 

Other highlights also include a visit to the church ‘Of our Lady of the Sweet Kisses’ in Petra, walking the cobblestone lanes of ancient Molyvos and sundowners at Congas beach bar. You can also look forward to a massage and a soak in the hot springs at Eftalou and to spending a relaxed afternoon in magical Skala Sikamnea with its quaint fisherman’s port. We will end the trip in Mytilini, for a final muscle soak in the mineral-rich thermal baths before our last supper at a local Greek Taverna.

The true highlights of the trip are really to be found in moments of absolute peace and quiet on the mirror still water, the feelings of well-being after a day of kayaking and enjoying a well deserved meal in the company of new-found friends, falling asleep to the gentle sound of the sea and waking to the sun rising over the water. It is the stuff dreams are made of….
 

Getting to Lesvos: There are up to 7 daily flights from Athens to Lesvos. These flights take only 50 minutes to reach Mytilini. We offer a pick-up service from Mytilini airport on the first morning of the trip and transport you across the island to Petra from where we set off on our adventure.
 

Finish: We finish near Mytilini on the fifth afternoon – your transport back to the hotel and hotel accommodation for this night is booked and is included in the price. The main airport is a ten minute taxi ride from there.

We make adventure easy - to reserve your place just click  http://teachagirltofish.co.uk/index.php/trips/kayaking/

 

Duckie visits the Gateways Salon

On Wednesday 12 June Duckie held a pre-Gateways Salon discussion event at the RVT. It was incredibly refreshing to see the  most diverse and inclusive audience I've come across at the RVT, well ever.

Duckie is going to the Gateways Salon for 2 nights only during London Pride, as part of a retrospective of LGBT social history, on the 28th and 29th June, at the Camden Centre. Exploring the butch/femme identities across the decades, the events bring the experience of the Gateways to new generations in all it's bent, vintage, racy glory.  The Gateways salon was one of the original lesbian clubs, based in Chelsea(when it was more like Shoreditch), and a home for lesbians from the 40s up until its closure in 1985.

Tickets are £15 and include Illegitimate entertainment from Ursula Martinez, Jess Love, The Eggs Collective & Figs in Wigs, sideshows from Lucille Power, Sue Frumin & The Drakes, hairdressing by Open Barbers. Event details

Going to the Gateways is part of a Duckie project to explore queer history, capture the essence of the social past and rebuild some oral history for the queer community.

The RVT event was a panel discussion with an interesting range of women - regular patrons of the Gateway and historians/documentarians who have played a roles in capturing the spirit of the Gateways. Chaired with wit and sensitivity by Amy Lamé. Many of the audience were able to share their stories and tales much to the delight of those of us who are a little newer to the scene.

Not just stereotypes
The discussion started off exploring the themes of butch and femme and how important these identities were to out women in the scene of the 40s - 80s, and how these identities permeated lesbian identities, relationship dynamics, affections, behaviour and fashion - and how these identities were used to confuse as well as uphold traditional stereotypes. However there was an inbetween, and androgeny has been around for a while. For some, the butch identity offered an outlet for 'trans' feelings, of which at the time there was no real language to identify gender dysphoria.

The first time
The panel and the audience reflected on the similiraties and differences of going to a gay bar for the first time. The sheer fear many of the patrons felt before they stepped through the door (if indeed they would be 'allowed' to following a strict entrance code for the members only bar). Many women turned up, and went home before even knocking on the door. Many looked for 'women like them' in the surrounding to join through that door for the first time.

Once inside however, that feeling of 'being at home' and safe, and with like minded women dominated the ambiance. Safety was paramount - and Gina & Smithy ran a tight ship. Being barred from the bar was described as 'the death of one's social life' and as a result there was very little violence between patrons. 

For most, being able to come to such a venue was a life line particularly in those early days where media representation was non existent or entirely negative, and there was no Diva magazine or Planet London to find out what's on - not that there was spaces for many events or venues to take place anyway. Most women 'stumbled' across the Gateways via word of mouth connections.

Depicted on film
Gateways made it to the big screen in the Killing of Sister George, in the late 60s which inevitably gave a large amount of publicity for the venue - not totally welcomed, when considering security and safety of patrons - but giving the opportunity for many more queer women to find out about the place. Real patrons were used as background extras.

The ebb and flow
Longevity is a real issue in terms of preserving a lesbian scene of any kind of visibility. The number of venues and events available for queer women has ebbed and flowed since the start of their existence. The Gateways eventually closed in 1985 to give way to new events - there was even a super club night at Brixton's Fridge at one point - but the cycle of too many and not enough and not for me seems to have persisted throughout the decades. 

Did you go to the Gateways Salon or other lesbian venues that are since gone? Please share your experiences below.

By Katie

ROSIE WILBY: NINETIES WOMAN

Date: Tuesday 2 July
Venue: Lost Theatre, Wandsworth
Tickets:  From £9 Buy



90s Woman Trailer from Wendy B on Vimeo.


A twenty first century reflection on feminism in the 90s? It's hard not to start taking a Marxist position on the dichotemy here, and very hard not to sound wanky or pretentious. 

Thankfully, we have Rosie, who's going to do that for us with a humourous, mutli media and highly personal journey in the form of a one woman show.

The 90s was very much a time when grass roots campaigning and activism was prevalent in student life and feminist movements - how was it done before we had mobile phones, flashmobs, e-petitions, youtube, twitter or facebook (for the younger of you, those times did exist!)

And how is it possible to look back on those times without using modern technology (a product of capitalism) to create meaning?

What impact did it have to be part of a movement - one as important as feminism, and how did it shape the people those activists and students grew up to be? What happens to that passion, is it still there twenty years later? And ultimately, are the issues young feminists are campaigning about today any different from those we fought against twenty, thirty, forty years ago?

(I'm hoping Rosie has some answers for all these questions... I'm happy that the show is billed as 'part documentary, part detective story and part unrequited love story, Rosie traces this original collective and investigates what happened to feminism (and the woman that everyone had a crush on)')

Says Rosie, “I started reading books and articles by some of the younger feminists coming through, like Kat Banyard, and started wondering again about Matrix - what our legacy had been, whether it was still going and what my fellow writers were doing these days. I found my dusty old copies up at my Dad’s among all my old stuff and, once I started reading them again, found myself on a detective mission to find out. It turns out a later group of York students started up a new feminist zine, Matrix Reloaded, in 2006. They were still featuring a lot of the same issues which, in some ways is frustrating as it demonstrates that we haven’t come very far over the last decade, but it was great to meet them and know we’d inspired them to create something. That meeting wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t started making this show.”

Nineties Woman was commissioned by Shout LGBT Festival at Mac in Birmingham in March 2013 and is supported using public funding by Arts Council England. Creation of the piece was supported by: Ben Walters, Time Out London’s cabaret editor; Carolyn Reid, writer, director and editor of feature documentary film Jan’s Coming Out; Naomi Paxton, actress, character comedian and writer (The Methuen Drama Book of Suffrage Plays); and Colin Watkeys, producer of several internationally touring shows with performer Claire Dowie.

 
By Katie

Planet London at L Fest

Yes, we'll be there!

Planet London will be part of the team co-ordinated by Sherbs looking after the LFest Solos Club (#LFestUnicorns) to make sure all those attending LFest on their own are not alone for long. 

Alongside a very warm and welcoming space where you can hang out, chill out on one of our inflatable chairs, chat with our friendly volunteers and keep abreast of the schedule, it's also a chance to meet up with other Solos who want to see the same Acts as you or attend the same workshops and events. Awesome!

We're planning a schedule of activities that will help us all get to know each other - a bucks fizz breakfast on the Saturday, games to play, and contests (watch this space for more detail). Pink Sofa will be running dating events as well.

There'll be a big message board where you can organise a meet up for a particular act, or let a particular lady know that you've spotted her and wouldn't mind spotting her again.

We'll also have the Planet London traffic light badges available for so you can meet women looking for the same thing as you.

We're also welcoming suggestions. If there's something you specifically want to take part in, let us know in the comments below!

*** UPDATE
The kind ladies at Wow Women are offering this sexy t-shirt as one of the prizes in the prize draw that will be taking place in Planet Central. 

Are you going to march at Dyke March 2013?

In May we published a feature on Dyke March (you can read it here: http://planetlondonfeatures.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/dyke-march-2013.html). In follow up to this we are posting further information about Dyke March. If you're thinking of marching, read on and we hope to see you there!

When: Saturday 22 June @ 3pm
Where: Berkeley Square, London

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What is Dyke March London?
Dyke March London is about dykes. We support dyke visibility and celebrate our love and passion for women and all dykes. Dyke March London is for everyone: dykes, queers, bisexuals, transwomen and allies. This is a grassroots, non-commercial, anti-racist, community-centred, accessible, inclusive event: we welcome all folk who want to support dykes to march with us.

Why does the march have ‘dyke’ in its title?

The reason we call ourselves a ‘dyke’ march and not a ‘lesbian’ (or other word) march, is because we wanted to be part of the international movement of Dyke Marches held across the United States (including San Francisco, New York, Calgary, Seattle, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Washington DC, Portland, San Diego, Oakland, Minneapolis), Canada (including Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Vancouver) Mexico and previously in Stockholm. Read more here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyke_March.

We welcome all dykes, lesbians, bois, queers, andros, femmes, butches, inbetweenies, lipstick lesbians, leather dykes, dandies, drag kings, bisexuals, transwomen and their allies to join us at Dyke March London.

When is it happening?

The march will be taking place on Saturday 22nd June, meeting at 3pm in Berkeley Square, London, W1J 6. We'll be in the north-eastern corner of the Square, outside the Green & Blacks.

Who will be speaking?

• Sue Sanders - founder of the UK's LGBT History and long-standing LGBT activist
• Femi Otitoju - founder of a diversity training consultancy and featured in the Independent on Sunday's Pink List
• Roz Kaveney - writer, critic, poet and deputy editor of META, a digital magazine by, about and for trans people
• Finn McGoldrick - National Union of Students LGBT Officer.

Will this be an accessible event?
Dyke March London is committed to being an accessible event and we have done our utmost within our resources to help the inclusion of disabled people:

• Disabled people are invited to walk at the front, to set the pace for the rest of the march.
• Two manual wheelchairs and an accessible vehicle are available at the back of the march for anyone who is tired or needs a lift.
• A BSL signer will be signing during the speeches and will also be available at the front when we are marching.
• We’re planning for our stewards to receive accessibility training from the fantastic LGBT disability charity Regard.
• A list and map of accessible toilets will be made available on the day.

Please do not hesitate to let our stewards (identifiable in high visibility vests) know if you have any needs.

Why call it a dyke march if everyone is welcome?

Dyke March London is organised by and for dykes. We don’t want to exclude our friends, family members, carers and other allies – we feel power in them standing beside us, under a dyke banner, showing their support for dykes. Dyke March London is different to an LGBTI march because it is a dyke-centric event.

We envisage, like last year, that the march will be overwhelmingly dominated by women and will be self-identified dyke/woman-led, expect this would be the understanding of our allies and anticipate this is how the march will present (again) on the day.

Will there be a women-only space on the march?

Anyone who would like to organise a women’s bloc is welcome, for example, to post a meeting time/place on Dyke March London’s Facebook group wall for a woman’s bloc to gather and join the march.

There will be no policing of gender or sexuality on the march, least of all due to the diversity of dyke gender expression and presentation. In particular, we do not want any women to be challenged on their right to be at Dyke March – whether due to an androgynous, ambiguous, masculine or feminine (or other) presentation.

Because our focus is on dykes, we’re not actively seeking to involve men with the march, but they are welcome if they want to march with us (as are all supporters of dykes).

This is a choice made at the very conception of Dyke March London. Unacceptable behaviour by individuals (of any gender or sexuality) will not be tolerated – misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, racism, ableism and ageism have no place at this event.

Is Dyke March London only aimed at Londoners?

Definitely not – and last year people travelled from all over UK to march, as well as from the US and continental Europe to march with us and one of the reasons Dyke March London is held on a weekend is to support marchers from outside of London attending.

In particular, we call ourselves Dyke March London in case dyke marches are initiated in other UK cities – in which case a name like (say) Dyke March UK would erroneously imply that the march in London was the UK’s most important or representative dyke march.

Can I march as part of a group?

Yes – anyone who wishes to have a group or organised presence at the march is welcomed to do so, and please feel free to bring your banners and placards.

Are children welcome?

Yes – Dyke March London is family-friendly.

Who are the organisers?

The organisers are an (unpaid) collective of women who loved last year’s first Dyke March in 20 years and want to see it become an annual event. Our meetings are open to all, but Dyke March London 2013 remains a dyke-led, by-dykes, for-dykes event.

 

How is Dyke March London funded?

Dyke March London is an unsponsored event, we are funded entirely by donations.

Why this march route?

The march route will take us through central London for maximum visibility, and part follows in the footsteps of one of the Suffragette marches for the 1908 Votes for Women rally in Hyde Park.