3 . 2003
65 films. 11 d a y s
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their stories, the better idea we’ll have
of the scope and diversity of the LGBT
community. Also, we start to see the
universality of the human condition.
We start to see what makes us the
same, not what makes us different."
• For many queer Portland filmmakers,
the path to documentarian is fairly rou
tine. They earn their living in jobs that
provide a steady paycheck, ongoing
training and unlimited access to
resources that allow them to master in
by Marie Reischmam
their spare time what they all truly love:
independent film.
Fearing he threatened to discredit
rother Outsider: The Life of Bayard
Brother Outsider recalls Bayard Rustin, a remarkable figure among
For example, Storybam Media owner
Rustin, a documentary by Nancy
the entire movement, they
the civil rights movement who was kept in the background because
Valerie Garrison has been working in
demanded that he he taken from
Kates and Bennett Singer, is what
of his sexuality
television and filming documentaries
the limelight— and, much to his
all documentaries aspire to be. This
since 1989. Though contracted by a county
more of the multiplicity of stories that make up
culmination of early civil rights film dismay, Martin Luther King Jr. did not protest.
agency us a senior producer, she still is able to do
the LG BTQ communities. It is my hope that
Gabriel Mendoza, artistic director of the
clips, oral recordings of Rustin s papers, excerpts
what sparked her initial interest: dix:umenting
the public’s fascination with reality television
seventh annual Portland Lesbian «Sc Gay Film
from assorted FBI files and a stunning array of
family history and queer heritage, establishing a
Festival, says he chose Brother Outsider because
will translate over to interest in the more sub
commentary on Rustin s character and commit
sense of ancestry and venturing into social
stantial insight and compelling reflections of
“it brings to light a great man that has been
ment from activists and politicos across the globe
anthropology projects. An upcoming project
overkxiked historically. Bayard Rustin was inte our lives that dixrumentaries present.”
builds such momentum that you are left gawking
involves a female, cross-dressing coal miner in
A record eight documentaries will he screened
gral to the civil rights movement in this coun
that you never knew how much you never knew.
Roslyn, Wash., who was discovered after getting
at this year’s festival, including four famous les
try. He worked with Martin Luther King, '
Rustin is best remembered as the organizer
drunk and wandering into the wrong bathrixim.
bian comics in Laughing Matters, Third World
Mahatma Ghandi, and associated with Mal
and executive director of the 1963 March on
Garrison’s years as a filmmaker have given her
realities for queers in Dangerous Living, everyday
colm X and many social movements.. .and was
Washington, one of the largest nonviolent
access
to police stations, crime scenes and many
King’s right-hand man for several years. How
moms turned activists in Ruthie and Connie, three
protests ever held in the United States. Film
training rooms. Her camera has opened dixirs and
teen-age girls with cameras in Don't Worry, It'll
ever, he was also openly gay and as such was
fixitage follows him from city to city, march to
given a voice to many people who are not always
Probably Pass, the resonant history of women’s
kept from the forefront.”
protest, boycott to sit-in.
music in Radical Harmonies, drag kings worldwide
asked the most valuable questions, such as “What
But Rustin had one arrest on his record that
The festival’s executive director, John Cam
can your dixumentarian do for you?’
pos, points to the increasing role of documen
in Venus Biryz and controversial HIV-chasers in
would forever he used to keep him down and
taries in queer cinema.
The Gift (see review on following page).
Her perspective fits right in with this year’s
out of the speaker’s spotlight. He had been dis
Mendoza explains: “Each year we try to find
festival. She says, “Media should he put in the
covered with two men in the hack of a car and
"Dixzumentaries have always been engross
the best and most diverse programming. We
hands of minority communities as an empower
arrested on a sexual perversion charge. Despite
ing introspections into humanity. With the
ment tool. - j n
years of fighting the gtxxl fight, Rustin had
ready access to digital video, people who before
ltxik for films that most people will enjoy, but
become a weak link in the eyes of his own civil
then we also kx>k for films that people might
could not mount the means necessary to pull
Editorial Assistant M arie F leischmann can be
rights community and an easy target for the
not have another chance to see or that might
together a documentary can begin to tell their
reached at rnarie@justout.com.
outwardly homophobic political conservatives.
stories," says Campos. “We will continue to see
he more challenging...the more people that tell
from outsider
to insider
Festival recognizes documentaries
in the queer community
B