Family matters

One movie at this year’s Mardi Gras Film Festival will not focus on gay people, preferring to concern itself with heterosexuals.

It seems counter-intuitive. But that is Bouncing Castle‘s aim: to convey the gay experience through straight eyes and educate both communities in the process.

The documentary, which will premiere at the film festival, follows the experience of PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) Western Sydney members, in the lead-up to the organisation’s 10th anniversary.

Bouncing Castle‘s straight subjects tell of their transformative experience as parents of gay children: from apprehension and guilt to eventual acceptance, and involvement with PFLAG.

Giovanni Campolo-Arcidiaco, one of Bouncing Castle‘s producers, says the film is as much a resource for gay people as for their straight parents.

One of Bouncing Castle‘s aims was to help parents to go through the process, and the other one was to tell gay people: -˜Be more understanding of what your parents go through’, Campolo-Arcidiaco says.

It’s an incredible process for parents to actually accept their kids as homosexual.

The day after the Bouncing Castle premiere, PFLAG will hold its fifth Rainbow Umbrella Walk from Central Station to Victoria Park, to coincide with Fair Day.

And like the subjects of Bouncing Castle before them, Rainbow Umbrella Walk participants will demonstrate their support for gay family and friends, this time with an umbrella in hand.

We feel as though there is a groundswell of people who want to support, and they know gay people -¦ but there haven’t really been any channels for them to support, says Maree Lau, a PFLAG mum and organiser of the Walk.

The variety of colours of umbrella together will make a rainbow effect.

Bouncing Castle screens at the Academy Twin Cinema, 3a Oxford St, Paddington, on Saturday 19 February at 5pm. Book at www.mca-tix.com.

The PFLAG Rainbow Umbrella Walk leaves from Belmore Park, opposite Central Station, on Sunday 20 February at 10am. Bring an umbrella or purchase a rainbow one on the day.