Above: Harvey Milk and Sally Gearhart

Dear Film Lovers,

June is national LGBTQ+ Pride Month. As we know, Aging comes with challenges. For LGBTQ+ people growing older often comes with its own specific concerns. Because of discrimination and a larger LGBTQ+ community that tends to be more youth-focused, LGBTQ+ seniors are often left out of the conversations around aging. Also, many of these elders may have been disowned by their biological families and can’t depend on familial support. Many have already suffered isolation and the loss of friends and loved ones during the AIDS epidemic.

We would like to spotlight the work of San Francisco organization, Openhouse SF, serving LGBTQ+ elders since 1998. In 2017 they opened the country’s first affordable housing dedicated to LGBTQ+ elders. Read more about Openhouse SF HERE. And click on the image link below to watch a short video they produced for their recent gala:

In honor of our LGBTQ+ Elders, we'd also like to recommend the following films:

A Chance to Dress

Dir. Alice Dungan Bouvrie, USA, 2015., 40 min. (screened at the 9th LFFoA). Story of an MIT professor emeritus and his difficulties in coming out after a lifetime of secretly cross-dressing. Watch the trailer HERE. The full film is available on Kanopy using a Public Library Card at the image link below.

Sally!

Director Deborah Craig is premiering at the upcoming Frameline festival a new documentary about Sally Gearhart, who was one of the people featured in her documentary “A Great Ride.” Sally Gearhart, who passed away in 2021 was a professor of Speech, Theatre, and Women Studies, a fantasy writer, and a Lesbian Feminist activist who fought alongside Harvey Milk against anti-gay policies. Watch a trailer for Sally! HERE. Watch a talk held by the San Francisco Public Library about the work in progress at the image link below.

Beauty Before Age: Growing Older in Gay Culture

Dir. Johnny Symons, Director, USA, 1997, 22 min. (screened at the 4th LFFoA). This groundbreaking film from 1997 explores the power of youth and beauty in the gay community. A diverse group of men, ages 19 to 77, navigate their fears of becoming old, undesirable, and alone. The film illuminates the larger societal pressure to look young and attractive and the role of AIDS in intensifying the fear and process of aging. Watch the trailer HERE. The full film is available on Kanopy using a Public Library Card at the image link below.

Irene Williams — Queen of Lincoln Road

Dir. Eric Smith, USA, 2006, 23 min. The tale of a local gay man and the (gasp!) woman who catches his eye in South Beach Miami with her fabulously wild and colorful handmade outfits. Over the course of a decade, Eric documents a marvelous journey of Irene's outsider couture, imparted wisdom, and the heartfelt affection they share.

Watch the full film at the image link below.

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