Born in Palembang, South Sumatra, Nino Susanto has been involved in activism since he was 22 volunteering with various groups such as Q! Film Festival Jakarta, Indonesian Planned Parenthood Association, Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS and Youth Coalition for Sexual and Reproductive Rights.
In 2005, he moved with his family to Jogjakarta to spin-off the Q! Film Festival which originated in Jakarta. The 4th annual Q!FFest Jogja will be held April 20-26 and will include parties, meet-the-director screening sessions, SpeakOUT forums as well as QLIT (Queer Literature) and art exhibitions. The festival is organised by Q-Munity Jogja — a non-profit arts and culture organisation consisting of young people concerned with LGBT and HIV/AIDS issues.
Above: Nino Susanto (left) pictured with Kamilia of the Institut Pelangi Perempuan (a lesbian youth organisation) at a workshop at the ILGA Asia Conference in Chiang Mai. Photo by Sylvia Tan.
Nino: 26 yo, male, student and youth activist, Jogjakarta Indonesia
æ: Tell us more about Q!FFest Jogja and how you came to be involved?
Nino: Q!FFest Jogja is an annual art and cultural event with the theme of Sexual Diversity and Queer-related as well as HIV/AIDS. It is part of the Q! Film Festival in Jakarta. This year is the 4th annual in Jogjakarta. I came to be involved with the festival in Jakarta since 2003 as a volunteer, then in 2005 I moved to Jogjakarta and I brought the festival along.
æ: What are the highlights of this year's festival?
Nino: This year, we're taking on the theme of: "Youth Attack!" with Chant of Lotus as the opening Film and we will have a special screening of Hatsu-Koi (or First Love) featuring Imaizumi Koichi and Iwasa Hiroki who have confirmed their attendance at festival this year. We will also feature some locally-produced short films about Sexual Diversity and HIV/AIDS made by young filmmakers of Jogjakarta.
æ: Mention Yogyakarta and the first thing most people will associate it with is the Borobudur Temple - a ninth century Mahayana Buddhist monument. Tell us what the gay scene is like in the city and what can visitors expect?
Nino: The people of Jogjakarta are very tolerant towards the gay community, even-though we don't have like the "special" places of hang out, the gay scene is very vibrant and is visible everywhere from shopping malls, bars, clubs and even the Alun-Alun near the Kraton, Jogja's Sultan Palace. I think being a student city, Jogja has a distinctive young and friendly vibe to it!
æ: Not only are you involved in Q!FFest, I hear that you used to volunteer with the gay division of the Jogjakarta chapter of the Indonesian Planned Parenthood Association (IPPA) and Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS. You are now involved with the Youth Coalition for Sexual and Reproductive Rights and studying to Environmental Engineering and Management to become an Environmental Engineer.
Nino: Yes, I'm no longer with IPPA although I'm still work with the Jogjakarta Chapter and am now a passive member of Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS. I'm currently on the Board of Directors of Youth Coaliton (youthcoalition.org) and yes the ongoing environmental engineering student.
æ: At what age did you become involved with activism work, what was the first thing that got involved in and what motivates you?
Nino: I think my involvement at the Q! Film Festival Jakarta in 2003 (I was 22 at the time) was where it all started, then along came the Indonesian Planned Parenthood Association which exposed me to the international activism scene with International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) and the YC. What motivates me is to be able to share my belief hat it is okay to be yourself and be gay. I want to empower people to be comfortable and secure of who they are.
æ: Do you have any words of encouragement for youths who feel that they are too young to get involved in activism work or that their contributions would be insignificant?
Nino: Yes, it is very important to get actively involved and speak out, because if we don't, how can we expect people to hear us if we don't speak? Raise your voice and reach out. There are many ways to be involved.
æ: What is your vision for the gay community?
Nino: At the personal level, I really hope that gay men and lesbians are able to express themselves freely and have the freedom to choose who they want to be. For example, even if a man decides to get married with a woman for example, is not because of parental or social pressure but because he WANTS to and is aware of all the consequences that he will have to bear. And of course, I wish to see the LGBTQ community work hand-in-hand together. I know it's not that simple nor easy but also not impossible!
æ: What's your biggest guilty pleasure?
Nino: I love Gossip Girl, The OC and all that cheesy stuff including American Idol - and porn!
æ: Tell us one of your fantasies?
Nino: To be a porn star!
æ: Who would your dream date be if you were straight for a day?
Nino: Definitely Scarlet Johansson!
æ: Tell us something even your mother doesn't know.
Nino: I "fooled around" with my cousin under the Bed when I was little!