Derek Jarman Interview on Activism, Art, and Gay Liberation (1991)

On 15 November 1991, artist, filmmaker, writer, and gay rights activist Derek Jarman sat down with ITN's Fiona Murch to discuss the 21st anniversary of the founding of the gay liberation movement. Known for influential works such as Sebastiane (1976), Jubilee (1978), The Angelic Conversation (1985), Caravaggio (1986), and The Garden (1990), Jarman is credited with making some of the first films to include positive depictions of gay sexuality and lifestyle. A tireless and outspoken activist, through the 1980s Jarman was a leader of the campaign against Clause 28 (also known as Section 28), legislation introduced by the government of Margaret Thatcher that banned the "promotion" of homosexuality in UK schools. Jarman also worked to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS during the epidemic of the 1980s, himself having been diagnosed as HIV positive in December 1986.
Speaking to Fiona Murch, Jarman discussed the progress made in advancing and protecting gay rights in Britain. He discussed campaigning against Clause 28, working to raise awareness of AIDS while living with the disease, and the ability of art to effect change.
"I'm an optimist, and I think these things do make changes, but they might be very small changes... The ones when an individual has written back and said: "That altered my life". I don't know whether they make vast social change, that's something that is not quantifiable."
Derek Jarman died of an AIDS-related illness on 19 February 1994 in St Bartholomew's Hospital, London. His final film, Glitterbug, was broadcast on BBC Two just weeks later, on 5 March.
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[@TheMimifur]

Just wonderful to find this. I miss Derek so much

[@alexluck4420]

What a wonderful man. I don't know his work very well, but I love how he talks.

[@rolandrothwell4840]

Derek had a superior intellect and brilliant eye for film making. A bit of a revolutionary genius 👏 👌 where are such people today? That's what is lamentable

[@SeekTheWild85]

Sadly, too many people want the world to be about them. We're losing individual thinkers and artists to mass social media 'viral' trends. Anything that is about the mind of the creator/artist is written off as ''pretentious''. We're living in a world where people are able to use their phones to tailor the world to their likes, without realising that they're the same as everyone else. True independent thinking is being eroded. Individuality is becoming an illusion, a smoke screen for mass conformity. And subsequently, true individual thinkers in our generation are getting written off as pretentious and weird.

[@rolandrothwell4840]

@@SeekTheWild85 well said.

[@zagraniczniak4120]

A splendid person

[@adonaiyah2196]

Hmm sure

[@EcclesOfficial]

Fantastic interview. 5:40 onwards (Q about the 'gay community') is very insightful even today.

[@Mark-iz4gg]

Derek A Beautiful Soul. So Missed !!

[@MultiVince95]

Friday 15th November 1991

[@jordanthomas5318]

What a babe.

[@jimmy9013]

hmm age of consent comment not aged well

[@adonaiyah2196]

Considering he was accused of assaulting a fourteen year old boy