Project Type: Documentary, Experimental, Short
Runtime: 20 minutes 45 seconds
Completion Date: May 28, 2022
Country of Origin: Ireland
Language: English
Shooting Format: Digital
The Concepts of Self is a story of an immigrant Asian gay person of colour living in Ireland during the lockdown. He regularly experiences sexual racism and exclusion within the queer community. He struggled to find friendships, sex and intimacy. Pandemic has magnified every existing inequality he faces in society – like racism, gender inequality, mental health care crisis, and access to sexual health services.
The Concepts of Self is a story of 365 days he spent in self-isolation – from March 2020 to March 2021. His small living space and the surroundings within the 5 kilometres limit are the landscape that subtly reveals an underlying sense of tension between his sexuality, isolation, racial hierarchy and rigid social norms. Confused, frustrated, but curious at the beginning, he explores his inner thoughts of loneliness and rejection by the predominantly white and eurocentric gay culture. Towards the end he tries to find peace by understanding that “Everyone is different and has different capabilities to deal with the emotional crises.”
The Concepts of Self was screened at 30th GAZE International LGBTQ+ Film Festival 2022 and the 10th Anniversary IndieCork Film Festival 2022.
