SEPTEMBER 24, 2021 • THEGEORGIAVDICE.CDM
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georgia VOL.12 • ISSUE 13
GUEST EDITORIAL
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Welcome to Out On Film 2021 Jim Farmer, Festival Director of Out On Film There’s something of an inside joke among event planners, including film festival personnel, that — for planning purposes — you have to be prepared for anything. 2020 was a perfect example of just that. None of us saw COVID-19 coming as we started to make plans for last year, and when we did, we all hoped the pandemic would be under control by the fall. That was not to be case. Flash forward to a year later. As much as we all wanted normalcy again, COVID-19 is still around, albeit somewhat more containable. Last year’s events were almost all virtual, but this year live events are returning. Out On Film, the Atlanta LGBTQ film festival I’ve been the festival director of for 13 years now, is a hybrid this fall. We have live events and virtual events. We have had to learn and pivot over the last year and find ways to reach our audience. As a nonprofit organization, our mission is to screen films for, by, and about Atlanta’s populous LGBTQ community. Luckily, I think we’ve been able to do that and adjust to find a way to still produce. As we approached our festival this year, we realized safety was our biggest concern. This is a time when we have to take care of ourselves and others in our community. For those who feel comfortable coming to a theater, we look forward to seeing you and will do everything we can to keep you safe. Vaccinations are required for anyone buying
a pass or ticket, and we will be socially distancing inside the Midtown Art Cinema theaters and at Out Front Theatre. Masks are also required. For those who feel more comfortable staying home, we respect that and still have a lot to offer. What COVID-19 has taught us is that the old model of how to produce is gone. For me, there’s nothing like seeing a movie on the big screen. I grew up nearly alone in Milledgeville, Georgia, and I escaped by going to the movies. When I went to school at UGA, I found my professional tribe of people who loved seeing movies communally and talking about them after. As much as I cherish that, though, I realize virtual is here to stay and for many there are simply too many advantages not to have it as a component. Not least is the ability to reach people around the state, the South, and in some cases the country. I have learned there’s room for both. We all need art and escapism and the ability to see positive images of ourselves on the big screen. Many of us did not have that growing up. Fortunately, COVID-19 has not affected the quality or quantity of LGBTQ films. This is a superb year, and I am happy to see such diversity and depth in our lineup, with representation from around the world as well as Atlanta. We open this year’s festival with the crowd-pleasing “Firebird,” Peeter Rebane’s Cold War drama about the romance between a soldier and a fighter pilot. Our closing night film is the world premiere of the excellent “Keep the Cameras Rolling: the Pedro Zamora Way,” a look at the life of “The Real World’s” Zamora and his activism.
Other dandies include Vivian Kleinman’s documentary, “No Straight Lines,” about the rise of queer comic book artists; Phil Connell’s adorable “Jump, Darling,” with Cloris Leachman in her final film performance; T.J. Parsell’s remarkable “Invisible: Gay Women in Southern Music;” the world premieres of Antony Hickling’s “Down in Paris,” Jan Miller Corran’s romantic comedy, “Along Came Wanda,” and Jade Winters’ “One Four Three;” Jeffrey Schwarz’s dazzling “Boulevard! A Hollywood Story;” the U.S. premiere of the sexy and sweet “Mascarpone;” Nathan Hale Williams’ extraordinary adaptation of “All Boys Aren’t Blue;” John Carluccio’s look at an icon in “Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back;” Lauren Hadaway’s Tribeca award winner, “The Novice;” Nicole Ruiz Benavides’s exquisite “Forgotten Roads;” Aisling Chin-Yee and Chase Joynt’s highly acclaimed “No Ordinary Man;” and Harri Shanahan and Sian A. Williams’s compelling “Rebel Dykes.” We also have a night of horror films — Sean King O’Grady’s unnerving “We Need to Do Something” and a series of Horror Shorts. Speaking of short films, we have 17 programs this year, including our first ever in-theater Oscar-qualifying Drama Shorts. An interview with former Atlantan Amanda Bearse of “Married With Children” fame is also part of our virtual fare. Movies bring us all together, even if maybe not in the ways that we are used to, and I look forward to (safely) reuniting with the community September 23 through October 3. September 24, 2021 Editorial 3
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NEWS BRIEFS Staff Reports New Piedmont Park Safety Initiative Launched after Death of Katie Janness The Piedmont Park Conservancy has launched a new safety initiative after the murder of LGBTQ Atlantan Katie Janness. The Safe Haven Fund is designed to provide funding towards new safety initiatives for Piedmont Park, allowing the park to implement strategies recommended by the City of Atlanta and other public safety experts. Courtney Bugler, the Chief Development Officer for the Piedmont Park Conservancy, told CBS 46 that the fund has already raised about $45,000. Donations made until September 30 will have double the impact — they will be matched by an anonymous donor, up to $100,000. You can donate to the Safe Haven Fund here. Safety concerns have increased after Janness, 40, and her pitbull were found stabbed to death in Piedmont Park back in July. The Atlanta City Council has already approved the installation of new surveillance cameras in the city’s parks and recreation facilities following the murder. The city is scheduled to install 250 new cameras by the end of the year. Lil Nas X Raises HIV Awareness During VMAs Performance Atlanta native Lil Nas X raised awareness about HIV in the South during his performance at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) on September 12. Lil Nas X performed his hit singles “Industry Baby” and “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name).” The performance included Mardequs Harris, Southern AIDS Coalition’s Director of Community Investments. Harris wore the number 433,816 in red, representing both the color of HIV awareness and support and the number of people living with HIV in the South as of 2015. “This experience was surreal,” Harris said in a press release. “Having the opportunity to share the stage with Lil Nas X was something I never would have imagined. And to have him use his platform to raise awareness about HIV stigma is invaluable to our work.” 6 New Briefs September 24, 2021
Courtney Bugler, the Chief Development Officer for the Piedmont Park Conservancy OFFICIAL PHOTO
The performance comes ahead of Lil Nas X’s “Montero” album release on September 17 which includes a “baby registry” that will include a list of organizations associated with each song that fans can donate to. The list includes 13 HIV organizations, including Georgia-based organizations Thrive SS, Counter Narrative Project, and Compassionate Atlanta. “When public figures like Lil Nas X– particularly those from the U.S. South – use their platforms to communicate HIV facts, it encourages a new generation to join this fight to end this epidemic once and for all,” said Dafina Ward, Executive Director of the Southern AIDS Coalition, a Gilead COMPASS Initiative Coordinating Center. “COMPASS launched four years ago with the belief that those on the front lines of HIV in the Southern United States would work better together, empowering new leaders, reaching members of their communities, and improving their capacity to care for people living with or affected by HIV.” U.S. Catholic Theologians Call for LGBTQ Nondiscrimination Protections More than 750 of the nation’s leading Catholic theologians, church leaders, scholars, educators, and writers released a joint statement expressing strong support for nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people. The six-page theological statement, “A Home for All: A Catholic Call for LGBTQ Non-Discrimination,” was scheduled to be published along with the names of its 759
signatories as a four-page advertisement on September 17 in the National Catholic Reporter, a newspaper widely read by Catholic clergy and laypeople. “As Catholic theologians, scholars, church leaders, writers, and ministers, we affirm that Catholic teaching presents a positive case for ending discrimination against LGBTQ people,” the statement says. “We affirm the Second Vatican Council’s demand that ‘any kind of social or cultural discrimination… must be curbed and eradicated,’” it says. “We affirm that Catholic teaching should not be used to further oppress LGBTQ people by denying rights rooted in their inherent human dignity and in the church’s call for social equality,” the statement adds. The statement notes that its signers recognize that a “great debate” is currently taking place within the Catholic Church about whether same-gender relationships and transgender identities should be condoned or supported. “That is a vital discussion for the future of Catholicism, and one to which we are whole-heartedly committed,” the statement continues. “What we are saying in this statement, however, is relatively independent of that debate, and the endorsers of this statement may hold varied, and even opposing, opinions on sexual and gender matters,” it says. The full text of the statement and its list of signatories can be accessed at the New Ways Ministry website. TheGeorgiaVoice.com
NEWS
Meet the LGBTQ Candidates for Upcoming Atlanta-area Elections Olivia Martin
Nonpartisan Sharpe has experience as a realtor and planner. His priorities include housing, transportation, reinvestment in businesses, reform of bureaucracy, and rethinking law enforcement, and he has many ideas for progressive policy. Learn more about his campaign at sharpe.vote.
November’s ballot will feature many LGBTQ candidates for local elections. Learn more about each of the out candidates running for local Atlanta positions. MIKE RUSSELL
BRANDON GOLDBERG
Running for: Atlanta City Council
President Russell is a veteran with 28 years military experience and significant law enforcement experience. His campaign centers around issues of crime, education, and race relations in Atlanta, with a focus on public safety as “the first responsibility of government.” Learn more about his campaign at mikerussellatlanta.com. KEISHA WAITES
Running for: Atlanta City Council, Post 3 At Large
Waites served as District 60’s representative in the Georgia House of Representatives. Her campaign for city council champions issues related to public safety, affordable housing, transit, equity and economic development, and accessibility and transparency. Learn more about her campaign at keishawaites.com. KELLY-JEANNE LEE
Running for: Atlanta City Council, District 1
Lee is a teacher with a background in her neighborhood association whose campaign focuses on affordable housing, infrastructure, and supporting small businesses. Learn more about her campaign on Facebook: Kelly-Jeanne Lee for Atlanta City Council District 1.
Running for: Atlanta Council, Post 1 At Large
engagement, Carter hopes to “move the heart of the city 4ward for all.” His campaign includes affordable housing, public safety, and inclusive development. Learn more about his campaign at larrycartermovingforward.com.
areas of advocacy and city government, he is running for the position again with a campaign centered around public safety, improved infrastructure, and equality. Learn more about his campaign at alexwanforatlanta.com.
LILIANA BAKHTIARI
COURTNEY DEDI
Bakhtiari is a lifelong Atlantan with experience in human rights and activism. Her campaign includes platforms on affordability, infrastructure, transparency, public safety, and transit. Learn more about her campaign at lilianaforatlanta.com.
Entrepreneur and OUT Georgia board member DeDi hopes, if elected, to “fight every day for a safe and economically thriving Atlanta for all people.” Her campaign focuses on issues that include safer neighborhoods and more affordable housing, as well as infrastructure: safer streets and sidewalks. Learn more about her campaign at dediforthepeople.com.
Running for: South Fulton Mayor
JASON HUDGINS
ANTONIO BROWN
Hudgins is a community leader from a military family who made his way to Atlanta from his home state of Kentucky and has built a career around training and development. His campaign centers on public safety, housing and development, equity, and transportation. Learn more about his campaign at jason4atl.com.
Men’s fashion entrepreneur, CEO, and humanitarian Brown wants to “REIMAGINE” Atlanta. Each letter in the word REIMAGINE stands for an aspect of his campaign, including and championing issues like housing, infrastructure, improving mobility for all, and inspiring trust in public safety. Learn more about his campaign at reimaginingatlanta.com.
Running for: Atlanta City Council, District 5
DEVIN BARRINGTON-WARD Running for: Atlanta City Council, District 9
A community organizer and advocate, Barrington-Ward brings past political and activist experience to his race for City Council. His campaign focuses on public safety, housing, equitable economic development, reparations, education, and environmental justice. Learn more about his campaign at wakeupatlanta.org. ALEX WAN
LARRY CARTER
Running for: Atlanta City Council, District 6
With a background in neighborhood planning, public schooling, and community
Wan has served District 6 twice previously, elected first in 2009 and then again in 2013. Now, with a background in many
Running for: Atlanta City Council, District 4
8 News September 24, 2021
Running for: Atlanta City Council, District 6
Running for: Atlanta City Council, District 10
JEREME SHARPE
Running for: Atlanta City Council, Post 1 At Large
Goldberg is a community leader, with heavy involvement in varied organizations and communities. His campaign centers the issues of civil rights and public safety, COVID-19 recovery, economic growth and equal opportunity, transportation, green space, education, and the arts. Learn more about his campaign at brandoncorygoldberg.com. KHALID KAMAU
South Fulton native kamau has served on the South Fulton City Council and has had experience in the nonprofit world. His campaign hopes to use local government to counter systemic racism by increasing land ownership, increasing access to capital, and supporting entrepreneurship. Learn more about his campaign at khalidcares.com. Running for: Atlanta Mayor
To learn what district you live in, visit your Georgia voter page at www.mvp.sos. ga.gov/MVP/mvp.do. TheGeorgiaVoice.com
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BUCK JONES THE FRENCH CONNECTION
The Spirituality of Friday Night Lights Buck Jones It is that time of year again; when the air becomes crisp in the evening, and the panoply of crape myrtle, elm, and dogwood trees begin peacocking their autumn colors. For those of us who grew up in the South, particularly in small towns, this is the season of high school and college football. I recently wrote in the Georgia Voice about a bit of nostalgia that the fall conjures for me, the former weekly radio show called “Leonard’s Losers.” His unique blend of humor and diagnostic predictions for the upcoming weekend was quintessentially Southern, which is to say that such a concept certainly doesn’t exist here in France. Not only is there no AM radio, but the French don’t have high school or university level athletic teams. Perhaps more importantly, that type of homespun, corny humor just isn’t appreciated here (I’ve tried, and my attempts are always met with a glazed look of bafflement tinged with judgment). Which isn’t to say that small French towns and cities don’t have active sports teams they promote — they do. Minor league sporting “clubs” flourish at the local level, particularly for football (soccer in the U.S.). The locals will support their village or town club, with usually a specific bar or brewery being the primary financial benefactor for the club. Most professional players start out at this level while still in high school, playing competitively until a larger city club signs them. When the big time matches are televised the entire town will congregate around the local pubs where the games are broadcast, with the screens turned toward the crowds on the street seated at tables. Standing behind them, an even greater throng watches in silence as the game 10 Columnist September 24, 2021
PHOTO BY SHUTTERSTOCK.COM / NOMAD_SOUL
progresses with the occasional communal cheer or groan. Recently, I listened to a podcast on which the biologist Rupert Sheldrake was interviewed. His research into what makes humans happy discovered that key to our psyche is the fundamental need for spirituality. Before you roll your eyes (like I did), he defines spirituality as a communal act that brings intense focus on the now, that blocks out all of our other fears and concerns to conjure moments of blissful transcendental concentration. He goes on to mention that for our postmodern age, sport is one of the purest spiritual acts that we practice. Whereas in the past we might have gone as a community to the local parish church each Sunday and participated in singing hymns and partaking in the Eucharist, today that has been replaced by supporting your local sport team. The collective exhilaration and sense of belonging brings the same kind of general happiness that is essential for fundamental well-being. This is the same reason why we as gay men congregate at our favorite gay bar; to find that sense of community through a shared culture
of music, dancing together, and drag queeninduced laughter. It is a spiritual exercise at its core. Once we enter through those doors, all the cares from the outside magically disappear and we are transported into an altered reality no less powerful than what our ancestors experienced at church on Sundays. Whether you define your Friday night lights by driving over to your local high school football stadium, donning your team’s paraphernalia, and cheering on the team as they battle it out with their competitor; or by sipping cocktails under a disco ball while laughing along with friends at your favorite neighborhood bar; you are being spiritual and nurturing that innate genetic need we as social animals crave in finding happiness. Even though I already know that this year’s Carolina Gamecocks are going to disappoint on the gridiron, if I were to share in a tailgate with friends over a Bojangles chicken and dirty rice and then sit in the stands at Williams-Brice Stadium, at the end of the day I would have found profound joy from having cheered, yelled, clapped and inevitably groaned. Hopefully your weekend will bring you a few moments of sublime spirituality as well. TheGeorgiaVoice.com
Find Your Way Home!
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September 24, 2021 The Pink Page 11
EDWARD ADAMS OUT ON FILM
Out On Film Reviews Edward Adams
Find this year’s full Out On Film line-up and buy tickets online at OutOnFilm.org. NO ORDINARY MAN September 25, 4pm, Landmark Midtown Art Cinema; September 26, virtual Billy Tipton became infamous posthumously in 1989 when the world discovered the accomplished jazz musician was transgender. The legend of this trans pioneer is told in the documentary, “No Ordinary Man.” Tipton’s story is told through two lenses: the historical and a production casting call. The two perspectives weave this nuanced story of Tipton’s life from his first stage performances to the impact his life had on the trans community. Directors Aisling Chin Yee and Chase Joynt take loving care to let the story unfold through archival footage, anecdotes, and discussions from historians, trans actors, and Billy Tipton Jr. who breathes new life into the many tales of Tipton. The production is lush and glossy and heightens the nostalgia on screen while making the story that unfolds mesmerizing. Yee and Joynt’s take on their subject is methodical and primarily focused on Tipton’s impact on the community that embraces him. That’s not a bad thing, but Tipton Jr’s experience coping with his father’s secret — a prominent point in the second act of the film — feels somewhat dismissive, which is unfortunate. It tries to right that misstep in the fourth act of the film, but it is fleeting. Overall, “No Ordinary Man” is an enlightening and fascinating documentary that pages a fitting homage to a legend in the queer community that is definite worth viewing. MAURICE HINES: BRING THEM BACK September 26, 4pm, Landmark Midtown Art Cinema; September 27, virtual There’s something joyful about Maurice 14 Out On Film September 24, 2021
“No Ordinary Man”
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Hines. Beyond his amazing talent and lengthy career on stage and screens, his personality is infectious and unfiltered. He shares these gifts with the audience in “Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back.” This biographical story follows Hines on the road through a series of performances and outings while the triple threat (dancer, singer, and actor) shares anecdotes and insights into his upbringing on the stage, his rise on Broadway, and the complex relationship with his brother, Gregory Hines. Directed by John Carluccio, known for capturing Black cultural stories in films like “Battle Sounds” and “Wax Poetics,” takes stays in his proverbial lane, doing what he does best — letting the subject tell its own story with very
little footprint from the filmmaker. Hines is front and center, and with that you feel every bit of his incredible energy through his ups and downs. He shares his unique perspective as a Black gay man making a name for himself in the business with and without his family. You can’t help but laugh, cry, and cheer with him along the way. This film is full of beats, feet, lessons, and history that is as entertaining as the legend it captures. It’s a must-see for old and new fans alike. NO STRAIGHT LINES: THE RISE OF QUEER COMICS September 29, 7pm, Landmark Midtown Art Cinema; September 30, virtual While most comic lovers are familiar with
the works of Stan Lee, Bob Kane, and Todd McFarelane, they may not know of the trailblazing works of gay comic creators that date back decades. The story of these artists is the focus of “No Straight Line: The Rise of Queer Comics.” The film is an amazing history lesson told by the artists who crafted classic comic books. Director and producer Vivian Kleiman treats the subject matter with the respect it deserves with candid, matter-of-fact interviews from artists including Come Out Comix creator Mary Wings, the first lesbian comic from an out lesbian; Rupert Kinnard, whose character the Brown Bomber is the first serialized queer Black character in comics; Cartoonist CONTINUES ON PAGE 15 TheGeorgiaVoice.com
EDWARD ADAMS OUT ON FILM CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14 Howard Cruse, the creator of the awardwinner graphic novel “Stuck Rubber Baby” and “Dykes to Watch Out For;” and “Fun Home” creator Alison Bechdel. To balance the discussion from these inspiring artists, Kleiman interviews new voices in the genre to make the legacy conversation truly inspiring and revered. “No Straight Line: The Rise of Queer Comics” takes a novel approach to delivering history that is just as enjoyable as the comics and the artists it profiles. BEYTO September 29, 9pm, Landmark Midtown Art Cinema; October 1, virtual “Hochzeitsflug” is the title of the book this film is based upon. It means wedding fight in German and foreshadows the tumultuous circumstance our titular character is thrust into. Beyto (Burak Ates) is a smart, talented, but naïve swimmer on the national team. His swim mate Mike (Dimitri Stapfer) has him in his sights. As expected, the two hook up and fall crazy in love. The whirlwind affair is upended when Beyto’s parents discover his penchant towards Mike and devise a plot to marry him off unbeknownst to their son. What ensues is a nuanced story pitting eastern and western values against one another with Beyto solely in the middle. Gitta Gsell takes deliberate care to highlight the quandary. The immigrant family is shown embracing the opportunity of western culture, a stark contrast to their reaction as they grapple with the expectations his actions will bring upon the family and the community. “Beyto” has dimension, but it is the push and pull of his love of Mike and his reluctant commitment to Seher (Ecem Aydin that anchor the plot and the central character in this comingof age film. “Beyto” is a well-crafted film with a clear message for the audience that is meaningful and entertaining. TRANS IN TRUMPLAND October 2, 2pm, Out Front Theatre Company; October 3, virtual Originally presented as a four-part series, “Trans in Trumpland” profiles four transgender Americans and the impact the Trump administration had on their lives. Written and directed by Tony Zosherafatain, the film gives a candid view into the challenges TheGeorgiaVoice.com
“One Four Three”
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trans of citizens while simultaneously uplifting their continued perseverance and courage. The first act features Ash, a student in North Carolina who is dealing with gender dysphoria. The second focuses on Rebecca, a trans Mexican immigrant living in a border town in Texas coping with the administration’s hard-line asylum policies. Evonne is the subject of the third act of the film who starts the first trans-focused nonprofit in the state after her best friend and roommate is murdered. The final act takes the cameras to Idaho and features Shane Ortega, a retired Army veteran impacted by Trump’s repeal of transgender citizens serving in the military. Zosherafatain’s approach is immersive as he narrates each leg of his journey from a point of self-reflection. The result is a polished, comprehensive dive into the trans community that is rarely seen and gained insight into the matters that affect them. The only downside of the doc is the credits that roll after each segment, so it feels less like a film and more like binge-watching a tv series. But that’s okay, the stories alone are worth it.
ONE FOUR THREE October 2, 6:30pm, Out Front Theatre Company; October 3, virtual Part Harlequin Romance, part mystery, author Jade Winters’ first film is based on her book of love found, love lost, and love renewed. Photographer Genevieve (Ella McCready) meets Rebecca (Ellouise Shakespeare-Hart), an arts critic. Their affair is expected, as the setup is rather obvious. The unexpected twist is when Genevieve is attacked and develops amnesia. This upheaval of the plot is unique and offers a refreshing addition to the Valentine story arc because as a same sex couple, prejudices and social norms are pronounced in the subsequent acts. Winters’ debut is purposeful and offers a relatable story for its literary merits, but the production flaws and casual acting at times is a distraction from the quick moving plot. The story reveals itself slowly but is female focused from beginning to end with no need or effort to apologize for being as such. The theme of second chances is obvious and predictable, but the film has
heart and the characters, though flat, have enough edge to root for. With all its flaws, “One Four Three” has something there. It’s fleeting and hard to pin on technical merits, but it garners an appreciation on its messaging. TWO (SHTAIM) October 3, 4pm, Out Front Theatre Company; October 4, virtual Astar Elkayam makes her writing and directorial debut in this emotional account of a young couple’s challenges to conceive. “Two” follows picturesque couple Omer (Mor Polanuer), a dancer, and Bar (Agam Schuster), a chef, madly in love and engulfed in passion. Their personalities are infectious from the first scene and set up the premise of the film when Bar, eyes full of love and promise, innocently suggests they have a baby. The coy and uncertain Omer says yes and thus starts the duo on their complex journey to parenthood. Elkayam’s script is a bit idyllic at first, bursting at the seams with CONTINUES ON PAGE 16 September 24, 2021 Out On Film 15
EDWARD ADAMS OUT ON FILM CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15 rom-com wit and fairy tale setups. But as the story unfolds, she makes a concerted effort to shake the two with the realities of the invitro fertilization process and the emotional expanse between surrogate and supporter. As the story ebbs, Polanuer and Schuster are simply stunning sorting out the complexities of the process along with the physical and emotional limits it provokes. Pair the performance with the curated backdrop of Israel, and you have a compelling story that draws you into a love story full of hope from beginning to end. KEEP THE CAMERAS ROLLING: THE PEDRO ZAMORA WAY October 3, 7:30pm, Out Front Theatre Company; October 4, virtual Flashback to 1994. MTV’s hit reality series “The Real World” is in its third season welcoming seven new roommates to a house in San Francisco. One roommate is Pedro Zamora, the hot Cuban cast member that was openly gay and living with AIDS. Zamora’s groundbreaking story is chronicled in “Keep The Cameras Rolling: The Pedro Zamora Way.” The story created by first time writer Collen Andrae, Claire Colby, and Ellen Goodrich and directed by Wiliam Horner and Stacey Woelfel, tells the tale of Zamora’s arrival to Miami from Cuba through this tenure on the series. To piece his life together the film uses interviews from family; cast members Judd Winic, Mohammed Bilal, Pam Ling, Cory Murphy, and Rachel Campos-Duffy; and U.S. officials Anthony Fauci and President Bill Clinton to share the ripples his brief moment on television created. The film is filled with ’90s nostalgia and transports you back to an era when our country was passive to the plight of the LGBTQ community in the height of an international health crisis. While moments such as these are grim, Zamora’s passionate and charming presence shines through and makes the film truly memorable. A SEXPLANATION September 24, virtual Writer and director Alex Liu pulls no punches with his comical look into the 16 Out On Film September 24, 2021
“A Sexplanation”
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cause and effect of traditional American sex education in his documentary “A Sexplanation.” Told through the lens of his personal experience, he seeks to understand how his lack of sex education growing up attributed to his anxiety, depression, and an adolescent suicide attempt. Liu, a seasoned television writer, frames the difficult subject with clarity as he takes viewers through the history of sex education in America’s school systems and the effect it had on himself, his parents, his friends, and others. As each question is posed, he seeks experts to walk through the cause and effect of sexual misinformation. Sex is not an easy topic to digest, but Liu, who narrates the various sexual queries on camera makes an effort to break it down and make it as entertaining and digestible as a newsworthy production can be. Be warned, while Liu discusses her personal gay experience with sex, the topics addressed are more homogenous and hardly veers in that direction. “A Sexplanation” is a light, quippy, and informative debut for Liu that gives the audience lots to download and contemplate about the lack of comprehensive sex education in our schools and its potential consequences that is sure to be a conversation starter as its intended to be.
THE NOVICE September 24, virtual Filmmaker Lauren Hadaway has a tight grip on the audience in her debut feature film “The Novice.” Rowing is the subject in this phrenic tale of obsession and isolation as Alex Dall (Isabelle Furman), a competitive and driven college student, decides to tackle rowing, her goal is to become one of the few novice rowers to join the varsity team. Jamie (Amy Forsyth), a natural athlete with similar ambitions, is Alex’s only friend on the crew, but her driven nature only causes her to become fixated on besting Jamie whatever the cost. The rigors to obtain her rowing goals are brutal, and the film tactfully frames these moments beautifully, if not a bit jarring at times. The display of Alex’s neurotic machinations is disturbing and Hadaway’s moody, kinetic style matches pace with its troubled subject. The only break throughout the tense tale is the contrastingly calm relationship with her partner Dani (Dilone). Dani’s easy breezy nature is a stark contrast to her lover and heightens the contrast that Hadaway artfully illustrates. “The Novice” is a spectacular piece of work that challenges the notion of knowing thyself as a cautionary tale that leaves you haunted and contemplating its electrifying message. P.S. BURN THIS LETTER PLEASE September 24, virtual In the recesses of a storage unit in Los
Angeles, hundreds of letters were discovered addressed to Reno Martin an up-and-coming radio disc jockey. The letters dating back 60 years is the subject of “P.S. Burn This Letter Please,” a five-year journey to piece together the letter writers and reveal a missing piece of America’s diverse yet missing history. Writers Michael Seligman and Jennifer Tiexiera travel coast to coast to track down the writers of the letters, and through personal stories connect the dots providing a timeline of the NYC drag scene of the late ’50s through the eyes of Martin’s circle of female illusionist friends: Daphne, Charlie, Billie, and Josephine. Michael Alogna, Henry Arango, Claude Diaz, and Joseph Touchette are just a few of the men interviewed who add color and backstory as the letters are read. The film rounds out its storyline with a glut of vintage photos, home movies, and news footage. However, the true stars of the film are the letters. Portions of letters are presented as interstitials with vintage wallpaper and applique with voiceovers to capture the wit and tone of the gals’ correspondence. The result is a journey from then to now paying tribute to a scene that was progressive, inclusive, diverse and accepting. “P.S. Burn This Letter Please” is deliciously satisfying with a message of history and pride that sticks with you from beginning to end. Read more online at thegavoice.com. TheGeorgiaVoice.com
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September 24, 2021 Ads 17
FLETCHER VARNSON OUT ON FILM
Peeter Rebane and Tom Prior on Romantic War Drama, “Firebird” Fletcher Varnson
On the topic of policy history in the USSR and Russia, “Firebird” also provides a refreshing perspective on living in the Soviet Union. Rebane, who grew up in Soviet-occupied Estonia as Fetisov did, said, “Growing up as a very young boy while still under the Soviet Occupation, it was a colorful, normal world. You didn’t know any better, so you were living your best and your fullest under the circumstances you were in.”
Based in 1970s Soviet-occupied Estonia, Peeter Rebane’s “Firebird” tells the true story of Sergey Fetisov (Tom Prior), a private in the Soviet military who falls in love with the fighter pilot Roman (Oleg Zagorodnii). The film opened the Out On Film Festival here in Atlanta on September 24. Rebane came across Fetisov’s story 10 years ago, when a friend of his recommended Fetisov’s memoir, “The Story of Roman,” while he was searching for material for a movie. “I read it in my broken Russian over a week,” Rebane told Georgia Voice, “and then literally cried and felt I had to turn this into a film.” Prior entered the film when Rebane began looking for an actor to play Sergey in a teaser to raise money for “Firebird.” However, Prior would become much more than the film’s lead actor, as he is credited as both a co-writer and producer and even assisted in the editorial process. “Subtly at first, I suggested that we change some of the dialogue, and then following successfully working together to create the teaser, I became a little bolder in my feedback,” Prior said. “And then that led to two weeks on how the script could be improved, and then that to two years’ worth of rewriting, restructuring, and researching the film.” Though “Firebird” marks both Rebane’s entrance into narrative filmmaking and Prior’s into writing, the film presents a unique and refreshing vision on both queer love and Soviet history in film. Indeed, “Firebird” masterfully avoids many of the tropes and pitfalls that come along with period pieces about queer love, which tend to focus on how cultural and historical restraints result in conflicts between romantic partners. 18 Out On Film September 24, 2021
Rebane thus made the inclusion of vibrancy and color key to “Firebird.” “It was one of the principles I had when we started making the film,” he said. “Most Hollywood productions, when they look at the Soviet Union, they do this blueish-green tint and everybody is wearing gray clothes, and it’s stereotypically miserable. But we looked at the world as if through the eyes of a 19- to 20-year-old boy from the countryside seeing this world of sleek jets and the Air Force for the first time.”
“Firebird”
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Though “Firebird” does recognize the difficulties the Cold War and the homophobic policies of the USSR brought upon Sergey and Roman’s relationship, the film opts to place more of an emphasis on the happiness and affection the two lovers shared. Prior said that “Sergey and Roman’s relationship felt almost idyllic,” and he and Rebane had to ask the real Sergey Fetisov “where ... the line between reality and fantasy beg[a]n” in order to figure out how to incorporate the sociopolitical backdrop into the film. Rebane and Prior noted that this emphasis on love over politics is what Fetisov wanted for “Firebird.” “[Fetisov] was a tour de force of love,” Prior said. “He was such a warm and genuine
being, which was something I wanted to bring to the film and informed us what to ask him. In one of the last conversations we had with [Fetisov], he said to please, please make the story about love and not about politics. Because, of course, today we will receive this film with the perspective of the political and human rights situation in Russia. And while it is an acute issue, [Fetisov] said to please make it about love, because that will transcend politics.” Indeed, there is a prescient issue of homophobia in Russia. In 1933, the USSR criminalized sex between men with Article 121, but the law was only overturned in 1993. However, Russia instituted new laws banning “homosexual propaganda” in 2013, which the film covers in its end credits.
Rebane succeeded on this front, as “Firebird” eschews much of the coldness typically associated with depictions of Soviet Russia. Gone are the unsaturated grays and olive greens Western filmgoers have become accustomed to when watching a film about the USSR, as Rebane instead creates a more realistic environment that is warm and colorful enough to foster Sergey and Roman’s love for each other. With Fetisov sharing his love with Roman in his biography, “The Story of Roman,” and Rebane and Prior retelling his past in “Firebird,” the former soldier and filmmakers are fighting hate with love by transcending politics with a story that embraces romance rather than focusing on restrictions that conflict with love. “Firebird” is available to stream now through October 1 through Out On Film’s website, outonfilm.org. TheGeorgiaVoice.com
KATIE BURKHOLDER OUT ON FILM
Moving Documentary on AIDS Activist Closes Out Festival on October 3 “You see Pedro, he’s impossible not to like. Regardless of what biases and prejudices you have [while watching him], you think, ‘Wow, he’s a great guy!’ The fact that he’s a good guy gets you thinking that maybe you have the wrong idea about things. He was just the exact right guy at the exact right time.”
Katie Burkholder 2021 marks the 40th anniversary of the first reported case of AIDS in the United States, and we still have much to learn from Pedro Zamora, the subject of Out On Film’s closing night film. “Keep the Cameras Rolling: The Pedro Zamora Way” is a documentary sharing the true story of the AIDS activist and reality star. Zamora became an activist and educator after being diagnosed with AIDS when he was only 17 years old in 1989. This eventually led him to “The Real World: San Francisco,” a reality show airing on MTV in 1994 that brought a group of diverse strangers together in the same house. “Keep the Cameras Rolling” pieces together footage from the show, as well as interviews with Zamora’s castmates, friends, and family, to document Zamora’s incredible bravery and public influence at a time when both being gay and having AIDS were deeply stigmatized. The film was made by codirectors William T. Horner and Stacey Woelfel along with a team of 20 students of the University of Missouri’s Jonathan B. Murray Center for Documentary Journalism, some of whom will be at the world premiere screening on October 3. At a time when Fox avoided showing a same-sex kiss on TV, “The Real World: San Francisco” provided an unprecedentedly honest and intimate representation of LGBTQ issues and AIDS. While on the show, Zamora was vocal about his diagnosis and used his platform to educate the millions of viewers on AIDS. But it was his likeable demeanor, easy vulnerability, and pure heart — all captured beautifully in the documentary — that really shifted public opinion. “You see Pedro, he’s impossible not to like. Regardless of what biases and prejudices TheGeorgiaVoice.com
— Director William T. Horner
“Keep the Cameras Rolling: The Pedro Zamora Way”
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you have [while watching him], you think, ‘Wow, he’s a great guy!’ The fact that he’s a good guy gets you thinking that maybe you have the wrong idea about things,” Horner told Georgia Voice. “He was just the exact right guy at the exact right time.”
“We interviewed people who knew Pedro really well and people who never even met Pedro, but with every single one of them you’d mention Pedro and it brings a smile to their face,” Horner said. “That’s the kind of person he was.”
“Pedro was able to reach people you wouldn’t expect,” Woelfel added, “and still can today when people watch the film.”
The documentary culminates in the onscreen wedding between Zamora and his partner Sean Sasser, the first same-sex commitment ceremony in television history, before Zamora’s death at the tragically young age of 22 the day after the final episode aired.
“Keep the Cameras Rolling” acutely captures the love Zamora embodied and inspired in so many others, including castmates Judd Winick and Pam Ling, who married after the show. The directors said the interviews with the two of them lasted about five hours. “There was just so much [Winick and Ling] wanted to say about Pedro, and it was clear that a lot of their lives had been spent trying to make Pedro’s legacy as everlasting as it could be,” Woelfel said.
A lot has changed since Zamora’s life — most notably, the institution of marriage equality — but some things, including the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS he faced so unashamedly, are still realities for many today. There’s a lot left we can learn from Zamora and his inspiring courage. “We’re living in a time where the message of
Pedro, which is accepting people for who they are, is still powerful,” Horner said. “He was so brave in so many ways, and he was brave before he knew he was going to die. He was brave coming out to his conservative Catholic family and community and going out as a teenager talking about [AIDS] — all before he tried out for ‘The Real World.’ It’s just a remarkable story of bravery and standing up for what you believe in and know is right and showing that that can actually work and have an impact on people. The legacy he left is huge, and it still resonates today.” “People with courage can make a difference,” Woelfel said. “He showed his courage by being public with his disease and by speaking up and dashing stereotypes. There’s room in the world for people with courage, and they can really make a difference.” “Keep the Cameras Rolling: The Pedro Zamora Way” makes its global premiere at Out On Film on October 3 at 7:30pm. at Out Front Theatre Company. It will be available to stream online from October 4 through 11 via the festival’s website, OutOnFilm.org. September 24, 2021 Out On Film 19
JIM FARMER ACTING OUT
‘Disney On Ice’ Comes to Town with LGBTQ Performer Cale Ambroz Jim Farmer As the number of people who have been vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus increases, live events are becoming possible again in the ATL. “Disney on Ice Presents Mickey’s Search Party,” produced by Feld Entertainment, comes to town this weekend with several LGBTQ performers among its ensemble. Cale Ambroz is one of the production’s stars, playing the character of Aladdin. Other characters in the family-friendly show, which brings together a variety of fan favorites, include Buzz Lightyear and Elsa. Ambroz grew up in New Prague, Minnesota and joined his local skating club. He started skating when he was six years old, but hated it and quit because he thought it was too hard. His mother suggested that he give it one more chance — and the rest is history. “I would not be here if it were not for my mom,” he said. A multiple-time Minnesota state champion, Ambroz competed at the Junior National Championships and the U.S. National Championships. He quit at the age of 19, though, and almost immediately joined Disney on Ice in 2013. At that time, he had to choose between going to school or doing Disney on Ice. “I never looked back,” he said. Pre-COVID, he would be in eight to ten performances a week, but — like most performance companies — the company had to put shows to a halt last year before returning in the fall. “Disney on Ice Presents Mickey’s Search Party” is one of Ambroz’s favorites. “It’s creative and uses a lot of different styles other than ice skating,” he said. The show has a cast of close to 50 performers. 20 Columnist September 24, 2021
“Disney on Ice Presents Mickey’s Search Party” Skating competitively was a huge commitment. “It’s a mental game, like most sports are,” Ambroz said. “It had challenges, but it was rewarding. I have found a bigger love in performing though. I had no idea what it was going to be like until I joined but getting out there and making other people smile and kids happy, seeing their dreams come to life, is a special feeling.” Ambroz was a solo performer and never did pairs work until Disney on Ice. Being part of the Disney On Ice troupe is more fun and less stressful, with much less pressure. “As a competitive skater you are there by yourself and everyone is watching you,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if you mess up here because the kids just want to have fun. You get to share the moment and the oohs and aahs.” He came out at 18, a little bit before he started Disney on Ice. It was not an easy decision for him. “You’re not sure how your family and friends are going to react, but it was the best decision I ever made,” Ambroz said. “I am happy with how my life is now. I grew into my own skin traveling with these
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shows. It’s inspiring and motivating to grow up in this kind of environment. Everyone just wants you to do well.” As for others shows in Atlanta, “Hamilton” has made a triumphant return to the Fox Theatre, closing this weekend after a monthlong engagement. The Fox closed in March of last year and reopened in July with a few events, says Jamie Vosmeier, the company’s out Vice President of Sales and Marketing. He knows people are concerned about the Delta variant, but ticket sales were strong. “I think people are excited about getting back to live theater,” he said. The Fox is mandating masks, and while the building was closed down, lots of changes were made. Eventually the Fox was accredited through the Global Biorisk Advisory Council, one of the first performing arts venues in the state to achieve star accreditation. “We are implementing the most stringent protocols for cleaning and disinfecting, so we are super clean.” They also installed ultraviolet germicidal irradiation systems and increased air filtration so air is cleaned constantly. The rest of the upcoming
Broadway series at the Fox includes “Fiddler on the Roof” in November, “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical” in December and “Tootsie” in January. Finally, Atlanta Fringe & Metropolitan Studios are presenting “A Queer Day’s Night,” an upcoming lineup of LGBTQ performances on what would have been Atlanta Pride weekend. One performance, titled “Gay History for Straight People,” features Fringe veteran Will Nolan and his alter ego Leola, a “Kelly Clarkson-obsessed, redneck senior-citizen lesbian.”
MORE INFO “Disney on Ice” September 23–26 State Farm Arena “Hamilton” Through September 26 Fox Theatre “A Queer Day’s Night” October 8–9 Metropolitan Studios
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September 24, 2021 Restaurant Guide 21
MELISSA CARTER THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID
PHOENIX RISING
The Atlanta Women’s Chorus makes an exciting return to live performances with Phoenix Rising, a unique show that traverses Atlanta’s past to shed light on its continued struggle for equality and celebrate its rich diversity. Featuring music from the Sacred Harp repertoire, songs of the Underground Railroad, Civil Rights anthems, and modern pop and hip hop, this show will certainly be an experience you won’t want to miss.
SEP 30 @ 8PM
THE MABLE HOUSE BARNES AMPHITHEATRE
DR. MELISSA ARASI, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR | 2021-2022 SEASON
T I C K E T S A N D M O R E AT: AW C H O R U S . O R G
A Disdain for
John Wayne Melissa Carter
There is one name that can send my eyes into an automatic roll. The response comes from years of being forcefed this individual and every outdated thing he represents. The way members of my family worshipped him as their idea of what a man should be made me cringe every time one of his movies played, which was often in my home. The person I’m talking about is John Wayne. There was judgment there. Some of you said amen in agreement and look forward to reading on. Others felt insulted that I dare speak negatively of the source of many fond childhood memories and are debating whether you’ll read my column again. Still others could care less and are curious what the big deal is. Regardless of where you stand, it is my hope we can agree on why John Wayne’s legacy should be in question. I have no issue with Marion Morrison the person, except for maybe the contradictions between Marion and The Duke. For instance, Marion fathered seven children during his three marriages, all to Latina women during a time when interracial and intercultural relationships were frowned upon. He also avoided military service despite his promilitary persona and made homophobic remarks publicly, yet worked with and remained friends with Rock Hudson until his death. However, he was an actor of a different time who was given roles based on an image that was exaggerated over the course of his career, which made him and others very rich. What bothers me is the current belief in the idea that John Wayne is the ultimate American man. That silly swagger, along with a trigger-ready willingness to fight someone who looked at him the wrong way, whether it was a man or woman. Such a conservative
22 Columnist September 24, 2021
JOHN WAYNE PHOTO VIA WIKICOMMONS
point of view: that anything different is wrong and dangerous, that women should know their place and you’re only tough if you show no emotion and kill another rather than share experiences and find a way to talk it out. I saw through that even as a child, and it’s one of the reasons I still can’t enjoy a Western to this day. That form of conservatism is fighting to hold on, despite being an outdated ideology to men from both sides of the political aisle. The latest bellyaching by that group is over the vaccine/mask debate. The irony is that the very ones who refuse to get vaccinated or wear a mask are, dare I say it, afraid. They are like little kids who are whining and stomping on the ground about their rights, when the reality is that they are scared and unwilling to toughen up to do what is necessary for their country. Mr. Wayne would be disappointed that they cower from a simple shot. Being the mother of a white, likely-straight boy, I hope he will be comfortable with hugging, communicating how he feels, and spending quality time with those very different from him. I hope he also understands you can be a patriot and be willing to recognize and work on things that our country doesn’t do well. I also hope he sees women as peers and partners, not things to be conquered and controlled. In other words, I hope he’ll understand that John Wayne is dead. TheGeorgiaVoice.com
RYAN LEE SOMETIMES ‘Y’
A New Pretender Grasps for ATL’s Black Pride Crown Ryan Lee Atlanta’s outdoor festivals must provide one restroom for every 250 attendees, and there were 20 port-a-potties in Central Park over Labor Day weekend in anticipation of 5,000 people celebrating Black LGBTQ Pride. A single toilet would’ve sufficed for the actual crowd, and the other 19 could’ve been used to store the bullshit behind organizers’ claims their events constitute the city’s “real” Black Pride. An organization known as Atlanta Black Pride has been a local Jamie Spears, seizing conservatorship of one of Atlanta’s most fabled weekends and trying to reap credit for (and the corporate sponsorships generated by) the largest annual gathering of Black queer folks in our known universe. ABP Leaders Terence Stewart and Amber Moore argue their group is the rightful successor to In The Life Atlanta, the nonprofit that hosted events over Labor Day weekend from 1996–2019, before ceasing in-person activities due to COVID-19. The website for ABP, whose motto is “Legacy and Truth,” erases ITLA’s existence and uses creative wordplay to imply ABP has guided Atlanta’s Black LGBTQ Pride for the past quarter century. The most pathetic aspect of ABP’s usurpation of ITLA as the “official” organizer of Black LGBTQ Pride is that ITLA’s claim to that title was just as illegitimate as ABP’s current power grab. The pioneers of ITLA — many of whom I admire and consider friends — were part of a national stirring of Black queer consciousness in the early- and mid-’90s, and one of the lasting efforts of that era was bringing order and credibility to informal gatherings that had been occurring across the country since at least the 1970s, attempting to harness the energy of Black queer revelry into visibility and activism. The national circuit of barbecues, house TheGeorgiaVoice.com
PHOTO BY SHINEHOG.COM
parties and club sets that had dictated the calendars of some Black LGBTQ folks for decades — early May in Houston, Memorial Day in D.C., Labor Day in Atlanta, etc. — was and remains the skeleton of modern Black LGBTQ Pride celebrations. While some of Atlanta’s most iconic Labor Day parties were hosted by folks who would help found ITLA, the organization always “led” Atlanta’s Black Pride on paper only. When I began reporting on Black LGBTQ Pride in the early 2000s, the institutional logic was to focus on ITLA’s programming. However, it took only a couple of Labor Day weekends for me to realize that if folks visited Atlanta and solely attended the events hosted by the “official” Black LGBTQ Pride organization, they would leave town clueless to the flaming liberation that makes that weekend in this city iconic. ITLA and club promoters long battled for the crown of Labor Day in Atlanta, and with the historical narrative (and sponsors) oddly coronating the entity whose attendance was measured in the dozens over those who drew/draw thousands, ABP is now emboldened to incorporate as a nonprofit and make ridiculous assertions. Stewart and Moore have threatened to sue anyone who misappropriates Atlanta’s Black LGBTQ Pride brand or misrepresents its legacy, but I’d like to see them convince anyone the spectacular explosion of Black LGBTQ expression over Labor Day weekend is ignited or stoked by an organization that has 110 Twitter followers and ends its two-day festival with pristine port-a-potties. September 24, 2021 Columnist 23