Only Gay Muslim Filmfest Launches

The largest gay film festival in Asia and the only one in the Muslim world will take place this weekend in Indonesia, reports news website MSN. The Q! Film Festival will showcase 150 films from more than 20 countries that focus on such issues as gay rights and HIV/AIDS.

While organizers don't anticipate public opposition, they prefer to keep the event fairly low-key due to the "stigma against gays" among conservative sections of the mainly Muslim population, according to festival director John Badalu.

Badalu also says the festival is being discussed on social networking sites such as Twitter, which indicates it has already achieved one of its goals, to "let people know that the queer community exists in Indonesia."

The festival will launch Friday and, organizers hope to attract 15,000 viewers to screenings and other events.