Last night I left a house full of excited children, unpacked boxes of Christmas decorations, and a newly purchased Tree to walk down to the Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor to see a new documentary film titled "Out Late".
The film was written and produced by Beatrice Alda and Jennifer Brooke, a local couple who charmed the audience during the Q & A session following the screening. They're fun, witty, smart, classy women who have made a raw, engaging, entertaining movie that follows several people who have all decided late in life (57 yrs. and older) to live openly as gay, lesbian or transgender individuals.
As I sat and waited for the film to begin, I wondered if I'd made a mistake....although it was fun to sit next to Alan Alda, Arlene Alda, Phil Donahue & Marlo Thomas, I was definitely in the minority since only 2% of the audience was heterosexual. Ms.Brooke commented that there were only 3-4 people in the entire audience they didn't know personally, I fell into that category! However, once the film began I relaxed and then I laughed, I cried, and I learned just how far the Country still needs to come in regards to tolerance - I was appalled to see how intolerant the State of Kansas still is in this day and age. There was a scene of protesters that marched in Town with Hate signs and the images made my skin crawl - I had to remind myself that we were watching a current event, not one filmed 20 years ago! Unbelievable! Religion and fear kept many of the stars from coming out earlier and the sadness and regret was captured beautifully in the film.
The film has been granted distribution rights and "Out Late" will be on tv in the near future - if you stumble across it, watch it....you won't be disappointed!
Bravo Bea and Jennifer!!