Documentary film highlighting LGBT acceptance in Alabama to receive World Premiere at Cinequest Film Festival in San Jose, California.
The 26th edition of Cinequest Film Festival in San Jose, California, will hold the world premiere of the short documentary Out in Alabama on March 6.
The film is a journey into the lives of LGBT people in Birmingham, Alabama—and a celebration of the friendships formed within Pride events. It focuses on Libertee Belle, the first-ever official drag queen, and Joshua Glenn, a Christian whose been abandoned by his family after coming out.
The documentary is the longtime project and directorial debut of New York-based filmmaker Bonnie Blue Edwards, originally from Alabama.
Out in Alabama will screen with the festival as part of their program DOCUNATION at Camera 12 Cinema on March 6 at 1:15pm, March 7 at 4:45pm, and March 9 at 5:00pm PST, with Bonnie Blue Edwards in attendance.
Cinequest marks the first public screening of Out in Alabama, after well-received private screenings in Birmingham and New York City.
Acting as Consultant on the film is Academy Award-winner Cynthia Wade, known for her Cinemax/LOGO short documentary Freeheld, about a dying policewoman fighting to leave her pension to her female life partner, which was recently released as a major motion-picture starring Julianne Moore, Ellen Page, Steve Carell, and Michael Shannon.
Consulting Editor is Toby Shimin, known for editing the critically acclaimed feature documentary Buck.
In addition, Out in Alabama features a track by Belle Adair of Single Lock Records (located in the music-centric town of Florence, Alabama).
Edwards, who says of the film: “It is our goal to share these stories in the hope of inspiring further acceptance of the LGBT community, not only in Alabama, but worldwide, as well as reigniting the universal responsibility for compassion,” got her start in the arts, after studying international business, through the storytelling juggernaut The Moth, and has also produced award-winning feature films and rave-review plays in NYC.
The production team raised initial funds through Kickstarter in May 2014 with additional fundraising and community building events being held in Birmingham and New York City.
Filming took place during the summers of 2014 and 2015 with New York-based cinematographer Jeanette Sears.
The documentary was edited by Christa Artherholt, with Bren Coombs as Associate Producer.
While still filming and fundraising for a feature-length version of the film, Edwards is excited to screen the short version of Out in Alabama at film festivals and other venues during 2016.
The film is fiscally sponsored by the International Documentary Association and is eligible for tax-deductible donations.
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