Articles in TV/radio/movies
Director Rolla Selbak and “Three Veils” starring Sheetal Sheth, in Anchorage 6/11
Out North is hosting a special one-night screening of the film “Three Veils” on June 11 at 7pm, and filmmaker Rolla Selbak will be there.
“Inlaws & Outlaws”: Love is neither straight or gay — it’s human
There was lots of laughter in Room 101 of UAA’s Rasmuson Hall: the laughter of recognition as we shared in the joy of people whose stories of love we heard at the March 18 screening of “Inlaws & Outlaws.”
“Inlaws & Outlaws” with filmmaker Drew Emery at UAA this Friday
“Inlaws & Outlaws” by Seattle filmmaker Drew Emery is showing at UAA this Friday at 7:00 PM. “Inlaws & Outlaws” weaves together the true stories of couples and singles — both gay and straight — into a collective narrative that is as hilarious as it is heartbreaking, ” getting past all the rhetoric to embrace what we have in common: We love.
Gay & Trans films in the Anchorage International Film Festival
“Craig and Shane were holding hands when they fell victim to a brutal hate crime off Sydney’s Oxford Street in 2007. The image of Craig’s shattered face on the cover of the local newspaper called Sydney’s queer community to action, and the couple were nominated leaders of the 2008 Sydney Mardi Gras Parade. The hardest year of this young couple’s lives is documented through endless surgeries, physical and psychological recovery and their struggle to plan for their future. But at its heart, Holding Hands reveals that even in the worst circumstances, we can all create positive change.”
“A group of transgender women are violently beaten and left for dead. After regaining their consciousness the violated vixens turn deadly divas and with their new-found confidence and courage, slice their way to vengeance. A homage to the exploitation/revenge films of the 70’s and 80’s, this film sets out to create a new and unique genre called — transploitation. Loaded with titillating dialog, bodacious bods and extreme violence, this revenge-fantasy proves that it takes more than balls to get even.”
Miller to Maddow on gay rights: "I wanna be straight with you"
No. Not here because we have… 3-4 gay bars here in this small town of Anchorage, and probably over half of the people that’s in these campaigns are secretly gay but they won’t come out. So we don’t really have a anti-gay movement here like they have in other places because… diversity runs big here, very very big here, so we don’t have that problem.
Rachel Maddow in Alaska Tomorrow!
Grab a Redbull and buckle up, Buttercup. The Rachel Maddow Show is coming to Anchorage! Apparently, our tight, 3-way US Senate Race is generating a lot of national interest. Rachel did a great 10 minute segment on our crazy race last week… [posted Friday on Bent HERE]So, here are the details. Rachel will be broadcasting live from the new home of Moore Up North, Taproot, TOMORROW, Tuesday, October 26, 2010 at 5:00 pm.
Former Elmendorf NCO escorts Lady GaGa to MTV awards to support DADT repeal
Lady Gaga won 8 MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday, and former Elmendorf AFB staff sergeant David Hall (far right in photo) escorted her to the show, along with three other service members who lost their military careers because of the ban against open service by gays and lesbians, a policy known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT).
Lady Gaga spoke in favor of repealing DADT when she accepted her award for Best Female Video for “Bad Romance” and thanked the four “discharged soldiers” who came with her, adding “And thank you to all the gays for remaking this video over and over again.”
Her escorts were former U.S. Air Force Staff Sargent David Hall; former U.S. Air Force Major Mike Almy; top West Point cadet Katie Miller, who resigned in August in protest of DADT; and Former U.S. Army Sargent First Class Stacy Vasquez.
David Hall was a decorated Elmendorf NCO before starting officer training at the University of Alaska, Anchorage, and was a top student in the Air Force ROTC. He was dis-enrolled from the ROTC because a female cadet suspected he was having a relationship with Jack Glover, another UAA airman, and told their superior officer. Both men were kicked out because of the DADT policy.
A federal judged ruled DADT unconstitutional last week, but the government is expected to appeal the decision. The U.S. House already passed a repeal of DADT, and the Senate vote is scheduled for next week.
Call your Senators today at 202-224-3121 and urge them to repeal the policy!
Senotor Begich supports repeal, while Sen. Murkowski is undecided. But she voted for the Hate Crimes Act after hearing from Alaskan voters. She lost the GOP nomination and has not announced a write-in campaign, so she might be persuaded to vote for the Defense Budget and the DADT repeal.
In Feb. 2008, KTVA in Anchorage aired a special report on David Hall and “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (one of the first videos ever posted on Bent Alaska).
This week, Hall was interviewed by MTV about escorting Lady GaGa to the Video Music Awards:
“We met her before the show last week and told her our stories, and that’s when she said she wanted to do more,” said David Hall, 36, a former member of the Air Force who was booted out in August 2002 after a female cadet told his commander that he was gay and in a relationship. When confronted, Hall said he told his commanding officer he had no comment, but “he took her word for it over mine,” and Hall, a five-year veteran, was discharged.
“We talked to [Gaga] for a bit and she said, ‘It would be great if I could bring you to the VMAs,’ ” he said. A longtime Gaga fan, Hall was ecstatic about the idea, but said it seemed unlikely that they could pull it off on such short notice. But when you’re Lady Gaga and you have 13 VMA nominations, it seems anything is possible.
“I just kept thinking, ‘How can we get this together? Can we do it that fast?’ ” Hall said. “To my surprise, we were able to pull it off.”
Hall and three of his cohorts — Katie Miller, Stacy Vasquez and Mike Almy — ended up walking the white carpet with Gaga and chatting with MTV’s Sway before they took their seats right behind Gaga in the Nokia Theatre in some of the most primo spots in the house.
Hall has been working with the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN.org) since 2006, helping the advocacy organization push to have “Don’t Ask” repealed. He said even with all the work he’s been doing for the organization, having Gaga spread the word to her 6 million Twitter followers and millions of VMA viewers was a huge boost.
“I’ve done tons of media over the past four years … but I knew she would reach out to her Little Monsters and tell them about the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask’ on the white carpet and [it would have a huge impact],” he said. “You couldn’t ask for a better person to do it. She’s very genuine. It’s not some ploy to get attention. She really wanted to know about the repeal and why we need to get rid of ‘Don’t Ask.’ ”
… Gaga’s decision to use the VMA platform to publicize the attempt to push the repeal of “Don’t Ask” through — a commitment President Obama made during his campaign and which he has repeatedly said is his goal — came at just the right time, according to Hall.
“The Senate is just coming back and we’re hoping that they will pass something this month,” he said, noting that Democratic control of Congress could possibly be weakened if Republican candidates score key victories in the November elections, which could set the repeal process back once again. “We were telling her that it is very important to speak out on this now,” Hall said of SLDN’s message to Gaga, who paid for the service members to fly out to Los Angeles for the VMAs.
In addition to their swank seats and walk down the carpet, Hall said the organization members met with Gaga as she was prepping for the show earlier in the day Sunday to go over talking points. They also were invited to attend the post-VMA party put on by Gaga’s Interscope Records label, where they chatted with Mother Monster and her actual mother, Cynthia Germanotta.
Hall’s highlight? “She gave us a shout-out during the acceptance for her first award,” he said. “And the interview with Sway on the white carpet … But every time Lady Gaga won, it was great. And when she won Video of the Year, I loved her meat outfit.”
Video: Lady Gaga Introduces Special Guests On VMA White Carpet
2010 MTV Video Music Awards – More VMA Video
David Hall is currently the Development Director & Information Technology Manager of SLDN.
GLAAD media training in Anchorage
Adam Bass, a Senior Media Strategist at GLAAD in Los Angeles, is coming to Anchorage to offer a media workshop for the LGBT community and allies. Community members, religious and organization leaders, and allies are invited to come to the workshop.The event will be from 10am to 1pm on Saturday, September 11, at the conference room in the lower level of 1057 West Fireweed Lane.The workshop will focus on how to tell our stories and build support through media advocacy. By ensuring that the stories of LGBT people are heard through the media, we will promote understanding, increase acceptance, and advance equality.Participants will learn the ins and outs of communications strategy, talking points, media interviews, and the power of telling their story.Communications work, like lobbying or door knocking, involves strategy that can move public opinion about issues to accomplish a goal. This advocacy workshop will give you the resources you need to speak up about equality, to move public opinion, and to help make equality in Anchorage a reality!The workshop will be free of charge. For more information, please contact Adam Bass, Senior Media Strategist at GLAAD, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.
Meet actress Sheetal Sheth at her Alaska film premiere
Yes, it’s true! Join this hot actress for a Q&A session following her girl-gets-girl action in the Alaska premiere of two award-winning lesbian movies, I Can’t Think Straight and The World Unseen, playing as a double-feature at Out North on October 8 & 10. And it’s a benefit! Tickets go on sale at Metro in September.
The timing is great. It’s right before National Coming Out Day (Oct 11) and the same weekend as the annual Alaska Pride Conference (Oct 9 at APU in Anchorage) and the biannual Womyn’s Dance (Oct 9 at the Snow Goose). With the conference all day on Saturday, the dance Saturday night, and the films and Sheetal on Friday and Sunday, you’ll definitely want to Come Out and join us!
Maureen Suttman is the organizer of the premiere. She chose I Can’t Think Straight and The World Unseen (see the trailers below) partly because of their rich multi-cultural perspectives and the long term lesbian couple who created the films. She wrote to Bent Alaska:
They have earned over 30 international awards AND haven’t been screened here. I happened to cross emails with Sheetal and stepped out there and invited her, and she has been saying “yes” for the last 2 months about coming here. Alaska sure does help in sparking interest.
Last spring, I saw 2 films that have been gaining the attention of both lesbians and the greater GLBT community. One set in London and a romantic comedy, the other set in South Africa and a drama, they both take on multiple layers of culture without losing underlying relationship themes — and while bringing tremendous heart and thought provoking images to the screen. Looking more, I found that between the two films they have won over 30 awards from around the globe. Further research into the production house behind them showed that at its helm are 2 women who are long-term domestic partners (and moms to their boys). Shamim Sarif is an award winning novel writer turned screen writer turned director. Hanan Kattan is her partner and the films’ producer. Together they head London-based Enlightenment Productions and are gearing up additional novels to movies, music and television projects.
Thinking others here would be interested in the films and the women behind them, I found myself compelled to show them in Anchorage. I sought out permission from EP’s main office and am happy to report that on October 8th and 10th there will be a benefit screening of the films I Can’t Think Straight and The World Unseen at Out North. In addition, and by an incredible stroke of good luck, Sheetal Sheth — co-star of both films (and NOH8 campaign supporter!) is coming to join us and will be available for audience Q&A and after-film conversation. Tickets will go on sale at Metro Music and Books in September.
Since the films’ releases, Sheetal’s co-star Lisa Ray was diagnosed with multiple myeloma and underwent stem cell replacement treatment. Though now in remission, she was unable to work throughout treatment. Out of concern for her, there was an outpouring of fan support and a project to generate income for her was set up. The benefit film screenings will support both the Lisa Ray audio book project fund, as well as our own Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Anchorage.
“Check out Enlightenment Productions for more info on the films and the very creative gals behind them. More information on the Lisa Ray audio book project can be seen on Shamim Sarif’s blog.”
“Check out Sheetal at www.sheetalsheth.com. Her email address is there so why not leave her a message in anticipation of her visit? Personal experience suggests she will likely answer especially if you reference Alaska in the subject line.”
“Thanks and hope to see everyone there!”
Thanks to Maureen for inviting this internationally-known actress to visit Alaska with the premiere of these two great films! Let’s give Sheetal a warm Alaska welcome and fill that theater.
- Where: Out North, 3800 DeBarr Road
- When: Friday October 8 at 6:30 p.m., and Sunday October 10 at 1 p.m.
- How much: $15 for the double feature
Watch the trailer for I Can’t Think Straight:
Watch the trailer for The World Unseen:
Howl (trailer)
The film interweaves three stories: the landmark 1957 obscenity trial over Ginsberg’s epic poem, an imaginative animated journey through Howl, and a portrait of a gay man who found new ways to express himself and in doing so, galvanized a generation. Howl will open in select theaters on September 24.James Franco stars as the young Allen Ginsberg – poet, counter-culture adventurer and chronicler of the Beat Generation. In his famously confessional, leave-nothing-out style, Ginsberg recounts the road trips, love affairs and search for personal liberation that led to the most timeless and electrifying work of his career, the poem HOWL. Meanwhile, in a San Francisco courtroom, HOWL is on trial. Prosecutor Ralph McIntosh (Strathairn) sets out to prove that the book should be banned, while suave defense attorney Jake Ehrlich (Hamm) argues fervently for freedom of speech and creative expression. The proceedings veer from the comically absurd to the passionate as a host of unusual witnesses (Jeff Daniels, Mary-Louise Parker, Treat Williams, Alesssandro Nivola) pit generation against generation and art against fear in front of conservative Judge Clayton Horn (Bob Balaban).HOWL is simultaneously a portrait of a renegade artist breaking down barriers to find love and redemption and an imaginative ride through a prophetic masterpiece that rocked a generation and was heard around the world.
