Anoushka Ratnarajah

Age: 32
Ethnicity: Mixed race, Tamil Sri Lankan and British
Occupation and/or Company: Artistic Director, Out On Screen
Years of experience: 10

Personal & professional philosophy:
Art is our most powerful weapon in the fight for liberation and justice. Art is our most compassionate and intelligent tool for resistance to help us survive and thrive in a world that is unceasingly hostile towards us. Art making builds empathetic connections between us, between people on screen, on stage and in theatre seats, so we can create a story we live together.

Upcoming performances/ project:
31st Annual Vancouver Queer Film Festival, August 15-25th

What is the highlight of your work?
Queer filmmakers taking aesthetic and narrative risks, creating art that pushes boundaries, and takes audiences into new queer territories. I feel very fortunate to be witnessing the artistry, intelligence, and courage of queer film today.

Future goals:
I hope for the queer art I program to keep troubling audiences, as much as it moves us. To make us uncomfortable, to question our safety and normalcy, and unite us across our differences so we can fight for each other to thrive in an increasingly tense and dangerous world.