July 9th, our official premiere. We screened at the Directors’ Guild of America, Theater 1 — and we packed the house! Standing room only. It was the first time so many of us (both producers + several cast & crew members) were able to attend a screening. It was a magnificent night with tremendous support for the film.

Pictured at top: Jason Butler Harner, Paul Marcarelli (screenwriter/producer), Cheyenne Jackson, Molly Pearson (producer), me.

During our Q&A, a gentlemen who identified himself as a teacher spoke of a terrible prank played on him by a student posing as a parent in an email exchange. Needless to say the similarities between our film’s story and what happened to this teacher were hair-raising. His story shot through us like a lightning strike — a blinding, first-hand reminder of the precarious position many of our LGBT educators find themselves in daily. I was also taken with how deftly this teacher concluded his story with an off-handed remark that got a huge laugh — a laugh of communal recognition and commiseration.

Pictured at bottom: Paul, Chris Bert, Molly, Jason, Cheyenne, me, Julia Ormond & Illeana Douglas

The screening was followed with a cocktail reception at the theater in the HGTV Lounge, and then we reconvened at Lola’s for a premiere party with the company and friends.

Another bit of good news came when I was notified that we’d been given a 2nd screening. It was scheduled on the last day of the festival at the REDCAT (Roy & Edna Disney/CalArts Theater) on Sunday, July 17th @ noon on the dreaded “Carmageddon” weekend — but we managed to fill about half the theater, have a great screening and an intimate Q&A after.

Thanks to Kirsten Schaffer, exec director of Outfest, and her entire remarkable team: Kim Yutani, Bryan Stamp, Alphonso Duralde, Dilcia Barrera, Kerri Stoughton-Jackson, Shari Greicar, Landon Zacheim, and everyone who made our screening and the festival such a fulfilling experience. Our premiere could not have gone better!

My friend Bridget Fonger wrote an article in response to something Julia Ormond had spoken about during our Q&A. Please check it out at: www.themortonreport.com/entertainment/film/julia-ormonds-the-green-is-a-human-movie-not-a-gay-movie/