Congratulations on the opening of the 21st festival. Allow me to extend my sincerest praise for the continuation of this event in our country where prejudice and discrimination against LBGT remain deeply rooted. What we need first is to get heterosexuals “to become aware” and then “to think.” I pray that opportunities, such as offered by this festival, for people to cross the threshold to understanding will not cease, but rather expand. I have composed a tanka (traditionally a 31-syllable poem) as a way of paying tribute in my own small way:

with no script
with no ending
Let’s shoot a film of tomorrow coming to us