Refugees have been a hot topic, not just in Australia, but across the world. These stories of desperation, despair, tragedy and hope are fertile ground for storytellers and filmmakers. One Australian is bringing those themes – packed with twists and unexpected turns – to the big screen of the Melbourne International Film Festival (or MIFF).

Actor, writer and producer Benjamin Rigby’s latest short film – We’re Not Here – is screening as part of the Australian Shorts at MIFF (www.miff.com.au).

It combines politics, power, violence, fear, nudity – all in 11 powerful minutes that leaves you thinking – what would I do?

Broadcast: August 6, 2019

Listen to the week’s World Wide Wrap where we round up all that was in international LGBTIQ+ news for the week ending August 11, 2019.

World Wide Waves aims to promote awareness of international LGBT issues. Our program provides in-depth analysis and interviews. We focus on the challenges facing the global LGBT community as well as some of our successes.

We take pride in interviewing a wide range of international LGBT people and supporters including politicians, activists, academics, parents, authors, students, professionals and more.

The world has agreed!  The United Nations has set bold targets to improve on some big issues with Sustainable Development Goals covering issues such as poverty, health, clean water, climate change, environment and peace.

But the goals don’t always favour or even consider LGBTI people.  In fact, criminal laws often do the opposite. We examine the crimes and discrimination getting in the way of sexual minorities with our guests:

* Zee, an Indonesian trans women and human rights advocate from the non government organisation Berdikari Dan Setara, who was at the United Nations for discussions and to hear the Indonesian country progress report on inclusiveness and equality.

* And Justice Edwin Cameron – a Judge on the Constitutional Court of South Africa who is gay man and living with HIV. He has been an advocate of human rights and LGBTI issues in Africa for decades and he was honoured for his work by Nelson Mandela.

Broadcast: July 30, 2019

Listen to the week’s World Wide Wrap where we round up all that was in international LGBTIQ+ news for the week ending August 4, 2019.

World Wide Waves aims to promote awareness of international LGBT issues. Our program provides in-depth analysis and interviews. We focus on the challenges facing the global LGBT community as well as some of our successes.

We take pride in interviewing a wide range of international LGBT people and supporters including politicians, activists, academics, parents, authors, students, professionals and more.

Gaining visibility for the LGBTI community in China is often a problem – contending with Government controls, censorship, limited cultural acceptance and an enormous population to influence.  But visible statements of Pride do occur, like Shanghai Pride – and Australia even played a part.

Some Aussies helping to wave the Rainbow flag behind the Great Wall of China joined us in the studio:

* Lydia Rui, Director of the film This Perfect Day and attendee of the recent Shanghai Pride Festival in China

* Chris Luscri and Jake Shannon, Director and Producer of the short film Sammy The Salmon, shown at Shanghai Pride

Broadcast: July 23, 2019

Listen to the week’s World Wide Wrap where we round up all that was in international LGBTIQ+ news for the week ending July 28, 2019.

World Wide Waves aims to promote awareness of international LGBT issues. Our program provides in-depth analysis and interviews. We focus on the challenges facing the global LGBT community as well as some of our successes.

We take pride in interviewing a wide range of international LGBT people and supporters including politicians, activists, academics, parents, authors, students, professionals and more.

In June World Wide Wave spoke to Dr Joseph Goh a Senior Lecturer in Gender Studies in the School of Arts and social studies at Monash University Malaysia about the main issues that the diverse LGBTIQ+ community is facing in Malaysia.

In this extended interview Stephane talks with Matheus Crochemore, a Brazilian post-graduate student in Melbourne. World Wide Wave hears about some of the contradictions in a country that may host the largest Pride festival in the world but which has recently elected President Jair Bolsanaro who consistently trumps his homophobia.

We hear about:

The community attitudes and the LGBTI activism that has led to Brazil having some of the most progressive laws for LGBTI people in the Americas.

How the new President was elected with significant support from some LGBTI people, in a country where politics has strong undertows of power, class and race.

How attitudes towards woman, gender and the traditional machismo beliefs are vital to understanding the context of President Bolsanario and the history of high levels of violence and murder against trans people in Brazil.

Fifty years on from the Stonewall riots in New York City World Wide Wave talks to several people who reflect on what it all means today for LGBTI+ people around the globe.

We speak to Peter Tatchell about why he says early pride march organisers would be appalled at the commercialised model now seen in many Western cities. We hear from Robin Scott of Reclaim Pride Coalition in New York City about the new spirit of revolution she is seeing on the street there.

We also talk to Openly Editor Hugh Greenlaugh and Producer Nicky Milne about a brand new documentary focussing on four personal stories of LGBT+ people around the globe.

In this extended interview, first transmitted in edited form on 25 June 2019, we spoke to Robin Scott who is one of the organisers of Reclaim Pride in New York.

A married bisexual trans woman Robin explains why she got involved in this coalition which crosses generations and marginalised groups. Robin talks about the atmosphere and the ‘spirit of revolution’ in New York City as the big weekend approaches.