Porno Melodrama

The 19 year old filmmaker Romas Zabarauskas is worried about his short film project called "Porno Melodrama". If conceived it would be the first gay-themed Lithuanian film and would be in breach of this new law. Lithuanian parliamentarian Mantas Adomenas talks on camera about his belief that films about gay relationships should not be accessible to minors. Another parliamentarian Petras Grazulis goes further by saying: "Currently, in the EU, sexual perversion has become the greatest moral value".

Romas Zabarauskas finds support at the Berlin Film Festival. Stephan Cooper from Amnesty International says: "Lithuania is one of the countries where homophobic laws still exist". The director of Berlinale's "Panorama" section commented on homophobia in Lithuania: "This is usually paired with religion. When you have religion, you don't feel responsible; you look for somebody else who takes responsibility. You just believe in it and impose it on others. This is basically the structure of fascism. Majority has value when it protects minorities. This is the way that the new democracies have to dig into; otherwise we will never have a Europe that functions." Williand Speck invited Romas Zabarauskas to come back to the Berlin Film Festival with his film. Romas Zabarauskas also talked to the famous German director Rosa von Pranheim and the openly gay mayor of Berlin Klaus Wowereit.

"Porno Melodrama" will be filmed in Lithuania this summer with Lithuanian cast and international crew. German and Lithuanian producers Barbara Politsch and Ksenija Kozenkova, Finish cinematographer Ville Piippo, Lithuanian actors Kurtis, Marius Repsys and Vilma Kutaviciute (www.pornomelodrama.com).

The film’s authors are looking for the financial support to get this project off the ground. The film can be supported via Paypal.