8: THE MORMON PROPOSITION.
A hell of an eye-opener, heart-puncher, and ire-getter-upper. Altho the film focuses on the Mormon church's efforts to influence the outcome of the Prop 8 debate and vote in California, this is, sadly, just a starting point for a survey of the destructive, rights-reducing agenda of the church in regards to homosexuals. The stories in the film, told by ex-Mormons, some of them gay, their families, friends, and supporters, are powerful stuff. Look for it in theaters and PPV in June, and program it with SAVING MARRIAGE for an excellent double feature. Depending on whether you want to be righteously angered and riled or hopefully inspired, you'll want to watch MARRIAGE first or second. =)
Reporter and activist Fred Karger, central to some of the revelations of the Mormon church's explicit strategies to bolster Prop 8, attended the screening and conducted a Q&A...
Apparently he has some highly-placed sources in the Mormon church who provided documentation on the church's defeat-gay-marriage strategies. The film focuses on the domestic debate and battle, but I was curious if there were indications of a global strategy as well. I caught him on his way out and he mentioned that Canada is definitely on their radar, but their influence there is not nearly strong enough to make any powerful plays, at least not yet. I could've sworn I'd hear a report on NPR about how the church was somehow quietly supporting, or at least, refusing to condemn(?), the persecution of homosexuals in certain African states, I can't remember which. Mr. Karger didn't mention anything along those lines, tho.
In the course of the Q&A, he revealed that he was in town on his way to New Hampshire, where he would formally (or was it informally?) begin his steps toward becoming an Independent Republican candidate for President. So, that happened. Wack.
Alas, none of the SHORTS 2 filmmakers were present this evening, so no Q&A or photo ops from that screening. As for the films themselves, I hafta say that one of the six docs was something of a chore for me. "5 Variations On A Long String" seemed well-shot and assembled, but just wasn't built to inspire my interest in the subject. I thoroughly enjoyed the remaining five shorts, and two of them, "Keep Dancing" and "The Poodle Trainer," are charming, endearing, candy-like gems, must-sees if you ever get the chance.
So... Here are a couple shots of the Somerville Theater's front windows, papered in IFFB-ness...
And now, a flashback to Saturday evening, as yours truly is thankfully not-maced outside the theater by the lovely and talented Amber Benson...
You can totally see her sporting "Here we go again" look here, right?
=)I'm fishing out the WristStrong bracelet from my bag in this one...
Thanks so much to KT for snapping these shots. I was too starfaced to ask Miss Benson for a proper photo-op myself and pretty certain she had other, better, less stammery places to be anyhow. And thanks to AB for taking this little time out and for the Goodness that is DRONES! =)
Here's one last (blurry, foo) snap of her in auditorium one, pre-show, raising wrist awareness!
Keep on keepin on~
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