Once in a Lifetime
Every once in a while there are events that rise above the rest… and recently, in NYC (and previously in LA this past July) Outfest (the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival) launched its first film as part of the Legacy Preservation Project…. Parting Glances.The Legacy Project is the only film preservation fund dedicated to restoring and saving LGBT films.
Parting Glances is the 1985 seminal gay film by auteur Bill Sherwood. The film, a Chekhovian slice-of-life, follows 24hrs in the life of a gay couple Robert & Michael as Robert prepares to move to Africa to work for a world health organization. Woven into the fabric of this film is Nick, an ailing New Wave rock star dying of AIDS. Michael is faced with the real motives for Robert’s departure. It is a funny, moving and now nostalgic look atNew York City in the mid ’80s.Well, on Monday, October 29th, there was a very special screening of the film at Lincoln Center as a joint presentation by Outfest and Newfest (the NY Gay and Lesbian Film Festival). The evening began with a VIP cocktail reception, followed by the screening and then a Q & A with original cast members Richard Ganoung, Kathy Kinney (Mimi on “The Drew Carey Show”), the films producer Yoram Mandel and the dreamy John Bolger (Garrett Floyd “General Hospital”).
For me it was an important and special evening for many reasons; First of all, my co-host Sara along with co-workers Chris, Robbie and Jennie all joined me for the event. And I was so excited to share this with them because I have such a strong emotional tie to the film. This movie was an essential part of my gay life when I was younger. At a time when LGBT images in the media were extremely rare, along came a frank and unprecedented look at gay life and it was truly life-changing. And I have come to learn that I was not alone. This small, independent gay film has (and continues to have) a lasting effect on generations of gay men.So to see it restored to a beautiful 35mm print (along with the original theatrical trailer) was a powerful and moving experience. It is not often that events have this much impact and I was so glad to be a part of it and share it with friends.
Two little anecdotes about Parting Glances…
1) When I saw the film originally, I walked out of the movie theater and was standing chatting with a friend and a woman came up and congratulated me on my performance in the film… she mistook me for the actor who played the lead ‘Michael.’ Needless to say, I was overwhelmingly flattered.
2) Years later I was a full-time aerobics instructor in NYC and John Bolger (’Robert’) walked into my class and I nearly died…he became a regular and what a treat it was to see him week after week. Then I moved back to LA, and low-and-behold I was teaching aerobics at the Sports Connection in West Hollywood and in he walked again…
Josh
