Stardar Report: Q Docs Rock Portland's Clinton Theater

Monday, 07 June 2010 11:17 | Written by Byron

ALL Q'D UP: Over the weekend I had the chance to see not one, but two, of the phenomenal films that made up this year's Q Doc Film Festival, the only film series of its type that is entirely devoted to glbtq documentaries. The first one I had a chance to see was the incredibly powerful 8: The Mormon Proposition. The compelling film, narrated by Oscar-winning screen-writer Dustin Lance Black, follows the money trail from the pro-Prop 8 campaign (which stripped California gays and lesbians of full marriage equality rights) back to its biggest funding source: the Mormons. Although its director Reed Cowan was unable to make the screening due to the crisis in the Gulf (he works in television news), a couple featured in the film—Tyler Barrick and Spencer Jones (pictured above with me in the middle)—did make it. Their story is heartbreaking yet hopeful, and they have become my new heroes in the equality movement. Although there is no future screening of the film slated for Portland, it's scheduled to appear on Comcast's Movie on Demand in mid-June.

The other film which touched my heart, and all those that had a chance to see it, was WE WERE HERE: Voices From the AIDS Years in San Francisco. The Sunday morning screening was very special for many reasons. Its producer and director, David Weissman, is the co-founder and one of the driving forces behind the Q Doc fest. And this was the first time he had shown his feature-length documentary to a large audience, which included some of its cast members, who were also seeing it for the first time. There are few words that equal the feeling of compassion in the room after the screening. And, all I can say is that I am grateful I had a chance to see two films that are sure to stay with me for a very long time. Kudos to Q Doc.