Ward of The GLBT State
This letter appeared in Southern Voice, Atlanta’s gay news weekly, on November 28th. I am no longer involved with Out On Film (again!).
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Re: “NO OUT ON FILM IN 2008″
Oct. 10 issue
Is Out On Film, Atlanta’s GLBT Film Festival, really “all grown up?” No. Not by a long shot. It’s been around for 21 years, but it’s still short of reaching its mature potential. Out On Film is more like a teenage foster child that nobody really wants, except for the income it can generate, and the poor thing has had some questionable foster parents these last couple of years.
In 2007, I resigned as Volunteer Coordinator from Out On Film when it was still under the directorship of Image Film & Video (now called Atlanta Film Festival 365, or ATLFF 365, to reflect its primary focus). I strongly objected to a request to keep one of the few GLBT staff members in the closet, and I also objected to Atlanta’s GLBT community being lectured to by heterosexual staff and panelists about the state of our own film community. My grumblings resonated, rousing Image/ATLFF 365 to create an all-gay advisory board that later morphed into its own separate board of directors. On August 27, this all-gay board voted to reject an “assistance” proposal that would have paid Image/ATLFF 365 a total of 7% of Out On Film’s gross sales, and to separate from Image/ATLFF 365 entirely. The reasoning for this separation was twofold: I spoke to the board before they voted about my experience working for Out On Film last year; and of course, there was the money—that whopping 7% gross of all sales. If Image/ATLFF 365 was going to be “on call” for the welfare of Out On Film, it would not be out of the goodness of their hearts, as has been implied. Neither of these reasons has been mentioned in any press articles about Out On Film’s transition, nor was it mentioned in a facetiously congratulatory email blast from Image/ATLFF 365 last week.
Immediately after the vote to separate, I was voted onto the Out On Film Board of Directors. So how are Out On Film’s new foster parents doing? I’m afraid the minor in custody is still in crisis. I’m the only current board member with any film festival or any major performance festival experience. More significantly, I am the only board member who is not representing or does not own a benefitting local business. While this “small-business-owner-run” formula may work for other festivals, my observations thus far have proven to me that some, but not all, of these businesses are motivated by their own agendas, from resurrecting a community theater to the incredulous notion of promoting triple-x porn. Official communications with the media have been clumsy, with no effort to refute erroneous reports that Out On Film skipped 2008 (it didn’t; Image/ATLFF 365 subtly sandwiched Out On Film into Atlanta Film Festival last April to cleverly retain its sponsorship funding from a major corporation). And recent voting procedures to decide on festival dates, venues, and bylaws have been clouded in secrecy by select members of the executive committee. I’m not really telling tales out of school; all 501(c)3 non-profit corporations are accountable to the public. In that spirit, I invite anyone who thinks they might be able to serve the best interests of Out On Film to join me. This ward of our GLBT state really needs you.
Xanna Don’t
Atlanta, GA