Toasting An Oscar Win "Freeheld," Hoping For Greater Rights

[DeSwiss]

Toasting an Oscar Win, Hoping for Greater Rights

The New York Times
By NATE SCHWEBER
Published: February 25, 2008


Detective Lt. Laurel Hester, who died of lung cancer in February 2006 at 49.
She fought her illness while battling the Ocean County freeholders for benefits
for her partner, Stacie Andree.

WEST ORANGE, N.J. — It was part Oscar party and part civil rights rally. More than 300 people filled a theater here to standing-room-only capacity on Sunday evening to watch “Freeheld,” which won the Academy Award for best documentary short subject. The film beat out three other documentaries, “La Corona,” “Salim Baba” and “Sari’s Mother.” The nominations and winner were introduced by United States servicemen and women shortly after 11 p.m.

“I’m here to watch the film because of what it could do for us,” said Doug Laverty, 40, a police officer in Passaic County who was featured in the film. The 38-minute documentary chronicles the experiences of an Ocean County prosecutor’s investigator, Detective Lt. Laurel Hester, who died of lung cancer in February 2006 at 49. She fought her illness while battling the Ocean County freeholders for benefits for her partner, Stacie Andree. Ms. Andree and the filmmaker, Cynthia Wade, were attending the Oscar ceremony in Hollywood.

At dramatic moments in the documentary, including a scene in which Lieutenant Hester, who lived in Point Pleasant, appears in a wheelchair at a freeholders’ meeting to ask that her pension be transferred to Ms. Andree, sobs could be heard in the audience. “It was a tough movie to watch,” said Sam Joseph, 49, who lives in South Orange. “I’ve been with my partner for 30 years and it’s always been an issue: What if one of us get sick?”

None of the five Ocean County freeholders, who ultimately voted to extend benefits to same-sex couples, were at the screening. Some in the audience on Sunday were same-sex couples who said they were still fighting for benefits for their partners. Craig Ross, 46, watched the movie with his partner, Richard Cash, 54, for whom he is trying to obtain insurance through his employer, a technology company based in the Midwest. “I have asked about it, but they don’t recognize civil unions, only marriage,” Mr. Ross said.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/25/nyregion/25equality.html?_r=1&oref=slogin">MORE

- Since there so many Americans who won't believe anything until they see it in the movies, well, there you are. Now can we get with the program and let everyone have the same damned "Equal Rights." Okay?
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DeSwiss

[NMMNG]

1. Indeed

Of course we're just "one issue voters" if we think about LGBT Human/Civil Rights when we vote, you know. :sarcasm:

[Skittles]

2. how do I go about actually seeing it

???

[swimmernsecretsea]

3. It's going to be shown on Showtime in March

I was told this last night by someone at my Oscar party. Since it won the award, I suspect that it'll have a limited theatrical run in a rep house, such as Landmark theaters or an art house, so if you live in a major city, it might show up in the listings. Documentaries often show up early as rentals as well, so if you don't have cable, or it doesn't come to a theater, then Netflix will no doubt have it.

On edit:
Info on theatrical release might be found here:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0914369/
http://www.freeheld.com/

BTW: Great night for the LGBT community at the Oscars!

[Skittles]

5. Does Dallas count as a major city?

:D I will look for this.

I agree, it is nice to see LGBT films and documentaries receiving their due! :thumbsup:

[swimmernsecretsea]

7. Didn't see a listing on the Freehold website

but that could certainly change.

http://www.freeheld.com/screenings.html

[dsc]

6. actually I think it is Cinemax

as that is who the producers thanked.

[swimmernsecretsea]

8. Thanks, couldn't recall what it was. nt.

[AwakeAtLast]

4. That was a great moment

:toast: