The year-long film series "Out of the Closet and onto the Screen: The Many Meanings of Family" will present its final spring screenings this week. All screenings will take place in Textor 101.
The films to be shown are:
Wednesday, April 5, 7:00 p.m.
"Coming Out, Coming Home: Asian and Pacific Islander Family Stories"
Filipino and Chinese families discuss the issues surrounding straight parents and gay children in Asian cultures. The families talk about shame, grief, love, growth, and the importance of family.
Thursday, April 6, 7:00 p.m.
"Bubbeh Lee and Me: Family, Identity, and Aging with Chutzpah"
Nominated for an Emmy, "Bubbeh Lee and Me" is a portrait of an 87-year-old Jewish woman and the role she plays in her grandson's journey of self-discovery. Whether taking daily excursions to the grocery store to return under-ripe produce or sharing hard-won wisdom over blintzes, Lee Abrahams lives life on her own terms. For her filmmaker grandson, a gay man born to a Jewish mother and Protestant father, Bubbeh Lee is a vital link to self and cultural identity, and to unconditional love and acceptance.
Thursday, April 6, 8:00 p.m.
"Trembling Before G-d"
Built around personal stories of Hasidic and Orthodox Jews who are gay or lesbian, the film portrays a group of people who face a profound dilemma - how to reconcile their spirituality and their sexuality. Appearing in the documentary is Steven Greenberg, an openly gay Orthodox rabbi and author of the book "Wrestling with God and Men: Homosexuality and the Jewish Tradition" who spoke on campus in the fall.
The screening of "Trembling Before G-d" is being shown in collaboration with the Jewish studies program, Hillel, Ithaca College Interfaith Council, and other campus organizations. The series is sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Affairs Center for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) Education, Outreach, and Services. Look for an announcement of next year's Out of the Closet Film Series theme coming soon!
