OUTRAGE: An interview with writer/director, Kirby Dick

In June of 2007, then Idaho Senator, Larry Craig, was arrested in a Minneapolis airport. He engaged in conversation with another man in the bathroom stall next to his and, before long, their shoes touched. Craig didn’t know it at the time but the man whose shoes he had become acquainted with was a police officer. Albeit a victim of entrapment, he was arrested on suspicion of lewd conduct and the 64-year-old senator was forced to have his sexuality become the hot topic on Capital Hill and across the national media. Despite the evidence against him, Craig vehemently denied being gay. He claimed that the officer misconstrued their conversation. He claimed this as loud as he could in the mainstream media. The message was clear; Craig had been accused of being a degenerate and a deviant, and that was something he would not allow to go unchallenged. Documentary filmmaker, Kirby Dick, has taken that challenge with, OUTRAGE, a film that outs closeted gay politicians as the hypocrites they are.


“I would much prefer that a gay politician come out on their own, even if there is some pressure on him or her, to do so themselves., for everyone involved,” Dick insists. “When it rises to this level of hypocrisy though, one way or another, it should be reported.” A number of gay men have publicly stated that they have either had sex with Craig or been in sexual scenarios with him. It would seem the evidence is stacked against him but, with his wife by his side, Craig has repeatedly denied his homosexuality. Craig has also voted against gay rights, from marriage issues to hate crime legislation. With his setup, he gets to explore his sexuality in private while living what is deemed as a respectable life in public. To do so though, he must deflect suspicion by voting anti-gay. It is not of interest to Dick that Craig is gay but rather his duplicity that he finds appalling. “We drew a bright line in our film. This is not a film about outing gay politicians. This is a film about reporting on the hypocrisy of closeted gay politicians who vote anti-gay.”


OUTRAGE achieves its purpose by backing its claims up with numerous sources, voting records and television news reports capturing some of the more infamous denials. There is a risk, of course, that the film may come across as sensational but if this gets people to see it, then Dick is happy. “I really don’t care why people come to the film. I just want them to come. But I want to go deeper into these complex issues. They really do affect millions of Americans.” The third part of the film, what Dick calls the “hate crime section”, exemplifies the worst of just how these millions of Americans are affected. While public figures denying their sexuality does insinuate that there is something still horribly wrong with it, it may not be directly responsible for inciting hate. That said, their denial and the voting stances that reinforce their lies, do nothing to protect the victims that may very well be them some day. “We are still in the midst of a very important gay rights struggle,” Kirby continues. “I think the most important human rights issue of our time is the gay rights struggle, in this country at least.” Self-loathing and the need for power should never be justification for an individual’s suffering or the progress of a nation.


Given the level of anger OUTRAGE incites in the viewer, it does so with a surprisingly level head. Dick’s passion and commitment to the cause are felt throughout this seamless film but so is his dedication to fairness. Only subjects that could be sufficiently substantiated were targeted and, as of the film’s premiere at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, Dick had not heard from any of the names he named. The closet typifies duality, from the pain and the lies when the door is closed to the healing and hope that wait on the other side. With so much potential for rage throughout production, I asked Kirby how he managed to tow the line between his own rage on the subject and the bright line he vowed earlier not to cross. “Part of it came from the interview subjects; they were so articulate. They had thought about this issue for often times, decades. They wanted this story told because they realized the damage of the closet. We had the benefit of this meditation from forty of fifty very thoughtful, analytical people in this film. They set the tone for us to make this film. And once this issue is discussed, it will be much harder for the closet to exist.”

Black Sheep @ TRIBECA

My time at the Tribeca Film Festival is coming to an end now. For the most part, it was an incredible experience. It was light on sleep but it was certainly plentiful when it came to seeing films. All the volunteers were extremely helpful, especially the crew at the Direct TV Tribeca press center. If it weren't for these people at this great space, I would not have had the chance to meet as many filmmakers as I did. There was one day where I didn't know how I was going to make it actually. I caught the latest from XXY director, Lucia Puenza, entitled THE FISH CHILD, first thing in the morning before scurrying over to the aforementioned press center for an interview with Puenza (who is breathtaking, I must say). From there, I hopped in a cab to go uptown to the Regency Hotel on Park and 61st for an interview with one of my favorite directors, Steven Soderbergh and the star of his latest film, THE GIRLFRIEND EXPERIENCE, adult film star, Sasha Gray. They were running late so I got to relax for a bit and enjoy the catered set up before doing the interview and rushing down to another interview in an alternate universe - a quaint midtown apartment that had no air conditioning, let alone snacks. After that, I hopped on the subway and ventured back to my friend's apartment, where I have been staying. I took a well deserved nap but that ended up being my downfall. I woke up later to realize that I had completely missed my scheduled time on the red carpet with Eric Bana for his directorial debut, LOVE THE BEAST. Right, I am awesome.


It could have been a blessing in disguise. Perhaps I would have been so blinded by Bana's beauty that I would have just stood there, stupefied when it came my turn to speak. Who knows really? What I do know is that I certainly enjoyed his film more than I had anticipated. The beast referred to in the title, LOVE THE BEAST, is Bana's race car, a Falcon Coop he has had since he was 15 years old and the film is a documentary about how holding on to that car and fixing it up with his longtime buddies has kept him real through all his years and time in Hollywood. To hear the synopsis, one might think that the concept inherently takes away from its intention. How can one create a film that centers around yourself when the point is to demonstrate how your ego has remained in check despite your celebrity? And in actuality, LOVE THE BEAST does come off at first as a big budgeted equivalent of a home made movie posted on YouTube, just another film put out to the world that begs to question as to wether the subject matter is relevant to anyone other than those involved in making it. But something sneaks up on you while watching Bana and friends partake in a five day race in Australia; you suddenly begin to care about this car and the connection it has with its owner and those who have worked on it all these years. Apparently, what people who aren't car people, of which I can be counted among, don't get, is that cars, for people who are car people, can become living entities, that you can develop a relationship with. This is exactly what Bana achieves somewhere among the racing laps and then he successfully drives the appreciation across the finish line.


Now, ordinarily I would not review a film I walked out of but this one is way too good to pass up. After a morning interview, I rushed to catch DON MCKAY, starring Thomas Haden Church and Elizabeth Shue, only to end up walking out twenty minutes or so after it started. When I tell people this, they look at me and ask how I could do that. And so I tell it to them just like this ... Church plays the title character, a high school janitor that has worked at his job for over 20 unhappy years. He gets a letter at the school, reads it, and then stares off into space. He packs a bag and goes back home to some small town I can't recall, the same unaffected, almost dead look still plastered on his face. A peculiar taxi driver drops him off at a home, where he is greeted by an even more peculiar woman. He is shown up to a room and this is where he finds Sonny (Shue). She is sprawled out on her bed in a satin nightgown, her hair perfectly placed on her pillows and her body positioned as though she were waiting for hours for her lover to come through that door. Sonny looks incredible but she is actually dying and wants Don to spend his time with her before she goes. The two were high school sweethearts and apparently never got over each other. It is all painfully awkward and even more so when her doctor arrives the next morning. He startles Don, who has just been stung by a bee. For no reason whatsoever, the two begin to struggle and the doctor attempts to kill Don while he is in the midst of having an allergic reaction to the bee sting. Sonny and her nurse are out but Don manages to save himself despite slipping into anaphylactic shock. When he wakes up, it is like nothing has happened. When he and Sonny find themselves on the floor appreciating the view from there, I walked out. Most people I tell this premise to stop me long before that point.


One of the films I was most looking forward to seeing at the festival was SERIOUS MOONLIGHT. This film has a very special back story as it was written by Adrienne Shelley, the writer/director of the surprisingly scrumptious film, WAITRESS. The film won great praise but Shelley sadly did not live to see this, as she was murdered before the film was released. Before she died (obviously), she wrote the script for SERIOUS MOONLIGHT, a story about a husband (Timothy Hutton) who is leaving his longtime wife (Meg Ryan) and how she subsequently holds him hostage in their country home to force him to see that he is making a giant mistake. The film was directed by WAITRESS co-star and "Curb Your Enthusiasm" star, Cheryl Hines. While the premise might seem contrived, it is exactly the kind of thin line between the implausible and the unexpectedly relatable that Shelley towed so delicately in WAITRESS and Hines does a beautiful job honouring Shelley's last words. In addition to this success, the film also boasts the first time Meg Ryan has shined in years. She gets to play on all her strengths, from her frantic neurosis to quick wit and adorable charm. The only question that looms over the film and threatens to unravel it at any time is why anyone would fight so hard for someone who doesn't want to be there. Luckily, Shelley exceeds at understanding love in trying times and exposing it for all its flaws in order to see its might, right there shining down in the moonlight - which is exactly where Hines allows Shelley to look down in approval throughout the film.

The remainder of my Tribeca coverage will follow when the films find their theatrical releases. As for now, I will proceed to nap again. That said, I was sure to check my schedule first and it is all clear. Thank you New York and thank you Tribeca for a great stay.

Black Sheep @ TRIBECA

I am a gay man. For over a dozen years now, I have lived my life outside of the closet very proudly. And yet, when I sit to write for Black Sheep, I choose my words carefully. Well, I always choose my words carefully; I am a writer and that is the job after all. What I mean in this context is that I will often pause before making any overt statements that undeniably confirm my sexuality. It has always been my concern that if I were to come right out and state in my reviews that I'm gay, that it will somehow taint the way the reader interprets my work and my opinions. Oh, that explains why he loves BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN so much. Or, of course he named MILK as Best Picture of the year. He has to; he's gay. Not that one couldn't easily figure it out if they were to read between the lines, and not that I mind one bit if they do, but there is a significant difference between being coy and being direct.


Saturday morning, I caught the press screening of a new documentary from Kirby Dick, the man behind the wonderful film, THIS FILM IS NOT YET RATED. His new documentary is called OUTRAGE and by the time I had finished watching it, I was in tears. Granted, yes, I was also quite tired but I'm sure I would have been crying regardless. Even as I made my way over to the Direct TV Tribeca press center for an interview with Dick, I could not stop the tears from welling up in my eyes on the streets of New York City. OUTRAGE is a direct effort to actually out prominent closeted men in American government. The approach has come under much criticism as outing is often considered sensationalistic and a private matter. That said, the men that are targeted in OUTRAGE use their powerful positions to pass legislature that denies many basic human rights to gay men and women but then proceed to live that very same lifestyle behind closed doors. I assure you, the arguments for are well supported and OUTRAGE is a fine piece of investigative journalism with its integrity well intact. As Dick later said in our interview, and I am paraphrasing because the interview itself is to be published at a later date, OUTRAGE is not about outing one's sexuality but rather their hypocrisy.


OUTRAGE obviously filled me with a great deal of rage in addition to my sadness and my pride. It also helped me see that my approach to writing for this site was in direct conflict with my basic approach to film criticism. It is my belief that film criticism is inherently subjective. Everything in my life lends to my interpretation and appreciation of the film. How then can I honour that philosophy without being completely honest about who I am? So, without supposing that you didn't already know, I will say once again that I am gay. And now that that's done, I can get back to the movies.

Black Sheep @ TRIBECA

So, this is what it's really like. I've been to film festivals before, sometimes with press access and sometimes without. TRIBECA is however, the first major film festival I have been to outside of Montreal, the island I call home, with full press access. It is a little overwhelming, somewhat frantic to manage and absolutely satisfying despite all of this. As I write this first of a number of posts direct from the festival, I am sitting in the filmmaker's lounge, just across from Union Square in New York City. It is a large open space, lowly lit, with a number of eclectic couches for sitting, a bar with free lunch and coffee and, as I am actually able to post, free wireless access. I just came from the press center, just a few blocks south of here. I sat in on my very first roundtable discussion with Mark and Michael Polish to discuss their latest film, STAY COOL. While I was packing up my gear, Geena Davis sauntered into the room for the next roundtable for her latest work, ACCIDENTS HAPPEN. That lady is tall and striking, let me tell you.


There are actually movies to see at the Tribeca Film Festival too, believe it or not. I have now seen three and have two more to watch before the day is out. The first film I saw yesterday was AN ENGLISHMAN IN NEW YORK, from director, Richard Laxton. In 1975, John Hurt shot to new heights of fame, when he played Britsh eccentric, Quentin Crisp, in THE NAKED CIVIL SERVANT. More than 30 years later, he returns to the role in what is both a heartbreaking and thrilling turn. The film itself is sadly held back by flat cinematography and mediocre dialogue but Hurt is so transfixing as Crisp that you cannot help but be taken in regardless. Everything that comes out of Hurt's mouth is gold and I couldn't help but be struck by his experience as an aging queen who moves to New York City in the 1980's as he approaches his own 80's. Here you have a man displaced in New York City, writing film reviews and realizing how these crowded streets allow the chance for everyone to shine. It was the perfect film to usher in the festival for me. Well, Woody Allen's world premiere of WHATEVER WORKS, which opened the festival the night before, would have been the perfect film but I couldn't sell a kidney for a ticket to that one.


Coming straight from Sundance, IN THE LOOP, a fiercely sharp and biting political satire about the onset of the Iraq war, was the next film I caught. Hilarious. I was roaring in the middle of the press screening and I was not alone. The language is as telling as it is shockingly foul. The film just recently opened in the UK to wide praise, which means good things for first time feature filmmaker, Arnando Iannucci. Having also had a hand in writing this fantastically dry and witty screenplay, Iannucci will most certainly establish himself as a director to be watched in the next few years. The ensemble cast spans the bridge between the UK and the USA, with parts as diverse as politicians, army generals, political aids, public relations people and foreign ministers. While one might expect their worlds to be quite formal and underhandedly evil, instead Iannucci gives them to us as a bunch of power hungry pawns who spend the majority of their time simply running into walls and each other and who are still somewhat evil. For American audiences, James Gandolfini may be the only easily recognizable face but his turn as an aging general with half hidden political aspirations is simply hysterical; he could not look like he is having any more fun. Again, hi-la-ri-ous.


The Polish Brothers have now been there for many a first for me. My first review for both The National Post and The Movie Network was the brothers' last film, THE ASTRONAUT FARMER. And now, my first ever roundtable interview was again with these wonderful twin brothers for their latest film, STAY COOL. The film itself was written by and stars Mark Polish and was directed by Michael Polish. To sit at a table with them (and supporting actor, Sean Astin, casting director, Kelly Wagner and executive producer, Nick Byassee), I would describe Mark as the scruffier brother, stylish but casual and Michael as the well-maintained brother. I would also describe them both as genuine artists, interested in making movies without having to deal with all the trouble associated with doing that through the Hollywood system. For that reason primarily, comparisons to the Coen Brothers are entirely unfounded. Not that they wouldn't mind making a big movie (I believe the idea of redoing THE GODFATHER III came up); they just enjoy the liberty that comes with independence. STAY COOL is an 80's throwback and homage to the period. It almost feels like it is trying hard to be cool at first and figures out along the way that it was cool all along.

Tomorrow, more films, more interviews, more e-mails, more walking, more writing and less sleeping. I will check back in with you as soon as I get a chance.

Black Sheep Previews: Tribeca 2009

A couple of days ago, I submitted my application to be accredited for media access to the upcoming 2009 Tribeca Film Festival. Naturally, I want in. And I swear that my showcasing a little preview of what the festival has in store for this year's New York filmgoers is not at all a cheap attempt to encourage a favorable decision from the press department. I mean, I'm sure they'll be pleased to see coverage on the site when they stop by for a visit but my intentions are entirely genuine, I assure you.

In all seriousness though, the 2009 Tribeca Film festival has put together a pretty exciting program this year. Less is more as the festival has compiled a program consisting of 86 feature films, 28% less than last year. Leave it to a trendy New York festival to trim the fat when excess is no longer in fashion. Besides, wait until you hear what they have in store.

The festival opens on April 22 with an impressive world premiere, the return of New York's quintessential director, Mr. Woody Allen. Hot off the success of international exploits, the Spain set, VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA and London based, MATCH POINT, Allen has come home to New York to set his latest feature, WHATEVER WORKS. As is the case with most Allen works, news on the feature is sparse. Actually, it is practically non-existent. I can tell you that WHATEVER WORKS stars Larry David (pictured below), Evan Rachel Wood, Patricia Clarkson and Ed Begley Jr. On premiering his film at Tribeca, Allen says it is, "a lovely idea of showing my film in a film festival in my own city. It's very exciting." I couldn't agree more. I assume Mr. Allen will be there but this has not been confirmed.


Here are a handful of the other films that have captured my acutely focused attention ...

DON MCKAY
World Premiere
Directed by Jake Goldenberger
Thomas Hayden Church returns home after being away for 25 years against his will with his cancer-stricken girlfriend, played by Elizabeth Shue. Recent Academy Award nominee, Melissa Leo co-stars in this very dark comedy.

SERIOUS MOONLIGHT
World Premiere
Directed by Cheryl Hines
The script itself is certainly intriguing. A wife (Meg Ryan) holds her husband (Timothy Hutton) captive after he announces that he is leaving her for a younger woman (Kristen Bell) until he is ready to commit to making their marriage work. What is even more exciting about this project is that the script was written by the late, Adrienne Shelley (WAITRESS).

TELL TALE
World Premiere
Directed by Michael Cuesta
L.I.E. director and TV series, "Dexter" creator, Cuesta returns with his third feature film. This time out he goes the route of an Edgar Allen Poe horror story, in which a single dad with a recent heart transplant has to find the original donor to save him from a horrible fate.

DEPARTURES
New York Premiere
Directed by Yojiro Takita
The surprise winner of this year's Academy Award for Foreign Language Film, DEPARTURES tells the tale of a cellist who has returned home following the dissolution of his orchestra. Upon his return, he takes a job as an undertaker. I have to see what beat out WALTZ WITH BASHIR and THE CLASS.

THE GIRLFRIEND EXPERIENCE
World Premiere
Directed by Steven Soderbergh
This film actually debuted in an early cut at this year's Sundance Film Festival but this latest edit marks the first time Soderbergh's latest foray into serious indie fare in its entirety. This is five days in the life of a high-priced New York escort. I can't imagine anything dramatic about that.

And to think these are just six of the films to be making their marks at this year's Tribeca Film Festival. There are 80 others! There is a whole list of other films in official competition that I didn't even mention. Here's the deal, Tribeca people. I will go into detail about your other films once you accredit me. That sounds fair, right? C'mon ... I've got to meet Woody Allen. The man is like a little movie god type for me. In fact, I may actually pee if I do get the chance to meet him.

It would be totally worth it.

The 2009 Tribeca Film Festival runs from April 22 to May 3. For more information on the festival and how to get tickets, visit the official Tribeca Film Festival website.