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Small Town Gay Bar
(81 minutes) USA
Director: Malcolm Ingram
Producers: Andre Canaparo, Sarah Gibson, and Matt Gissing
Description:
Small Town Gay Bar is a tribute to the resiliency of gays living in rural areas throughout America. The film is a moving portrait of men and women fighting to create and maintain community for themselves in the face of great opposition, hypocrisy, and prejudice within a largely ignored subculture of discreet backdoor entrances and hushed sexual expression in small town Mississippi. Deep in the heart of the Bible Belt, and attacked on all sides by the Christian Coalition, several spirited bar owners have created an oasis for gays to call home. Despite overwhelming odds against their survival, the rural gay community has become even more empowered from hatred following devastating attacks of vandalism, organized protests, and the recent brutal murder of 18 year-old Scotty Weaver. Scotty was tortured and mutilated in a neighboring state by three assailants, simply because of his sexual orientation. Jim Bishop (AKA Alicia Stone) is the glamorous show director at the bar Rumors by night and a veterinarian receptionist by day. His partner Geoff is the DJ at the club. Lori and her lover Ruby purchased the dilapidated and abandoned Crossroads Bar and converted it into the popular bar Different Seasons. Their dedication and creative spirit have helped the club survive as the only gay destination for the local population. While urban life has made strong advances in the hard fought journey from the underground to primetime, these small pockets of community throughout America continue to struggle for basic rights of life and love.
Biography:
A lifelong interest in film led Malcolm Ingram to The Toronto International Film Festival at the tender age of 21. After a four-year stint working himself up to Press Office Manager, Ingram left the organization to pursue a writing career with the influential Film Threat Magazine. It was while on assignment that Ingram met his mentor, Kevin Smith (Chasing Amy, Dogma, Clerks 1 & 2) who financed his first film Drawing Flies. Drawing Flies shot in Vancouver, BC in the summer of 1995, starred rising talent Jason Lee and had a successful run on the festival circuit. The next opus, Tail Lights Fade, featured a high profile and talented cast including: Denise Richards, Jake Busey, Elizabeth Berkeley, and Margot Kidder.
Contact Information:
Matt Gissing, Producer
mattgissing@yahoo.com
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©2006 United Nations Association Film Festival (UNAFF)
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