Friday, November 07, 2008

SCOTTISH PREMIERE - Responses !

U & ME & TENNESSEE had its Scottish premiere on "Bonfire Night" 2008, and while there were no sparks flying upwards, there WAS a tremendously warm feeling generated and shared by all who attended!

Alan Convery, president of the Glasgow University LGBT Society spoke before the screening about how delighted and proud they were to be hosting the premiere, along with Amy of the SCATS (the Student Cinema & Television Society) - supporting this local filmmaker (the guy on the left in the photo...) - the lights dimmed, and we were off!

This screening was far more relaxed than the London premiere at RAINDANCE, which I've written about below ("The First Reviews..."). The audience warmed immediately to the quick-witted, articulate and very funny man up there on the screen (the guy on the right in the photo above - Konrad Hopkins) and his tale of life as an unwitting Ganymede to the Zeus of Broadway. There were spontaneous swirls of laughter throughout - leavening even some of the more sombre, serious moments in the film, which reassured me, because I hope that U & ME & TENNESSEE engenders a compassionate and tender disillusioning in its viewers, and the wry chuckles at our Glasgow premiere testified to the desired impact.

It was a large crowd, and extremely diverse: many young gay and lesbian people, an ample contingent of the Future Filmmakers of Britain, quite a few seasoned actors and photographers, the former worldwide head of Dictionaries for Collins Publishers, a gentleman from Iraq, another from China, and a sizable host of middle-aged straight folk!

All of them "got" the movie - none felt alienated - though I daresay they were often surprised and disturbed.

But that is because U & ME & TENNESSEE is not conventional - it is original. And by offering a clear insight into Tennessee Williams's words and behaviour, the film naturally and effortlessly illuminates his artistic technique and intentions.

The audience response was totally positive. Carter Ferguson was extremely impressed by what he saw, and he has posted the following on the SCOTTISHFILMNET Yahoo Group:

"The film's ostensibly a conversation between Paul and Konrad, and is in turns illuminating, disturbing and fascinating. All in all I found it very enjoyable and a window into another world long gone. To actually hear the 1st hand account of the life and loves of such an incredible playwright brought to life without the necessity for "staged" dramatisation was entirely gripping. It is a frank and honest account told intelligently and stylishly."*

(*Carter's own new independent Scottish movie THE RAGE is now available to watch online! Carter wrote, produced, directed and edited it! )

My last post provoked a comment on the blog and an e-mail from Glasgay! assuring me that they were contemplating a Tennessee Williams festival long before I first voiced the idea to them. I must say that when we met initially and I floated the idea, I did get the impression that the notion of a Tennessee Williams festival was an intriguing and exciting new prospect to them.

But such an impression on my part may very well have been canny Scots caution on their part, so as not to disclose their own plans prematurely to a stranger (me), and I accept them at their word.

It was, as I say, an idea whose time had come.

I'm also regretful if any of my remarks caused Glasgay! annoyance or hurt, and I apologise unreservedly if such was the case. I am not attacking Glasgay!. I am simply stating the fact that they passed on U & ME & TENNESSEE, and noting some of the implications of this decision.

The irony is that Tennessee Williams thought Konrad Hopkins worth talking to and worth writing to, for four and a half years, but Glasgay! was not able to put itself into Mr. Williams's shoes and try to imagine just why he might have felt this way.

By ignoring U & ME &TENNESSEE, Glasgay! deliberately deprived Glasgow of the knowledge of its own genuine, living, cultural, gay, human connection with the late, great Tennessee Williams.

But Glasgay! is not alone in this. The Edinburgh International Film Festival also chose not to screen U & ME & TENNESSEE - and the same results obtain, but on a wider scale.

I can't help feeling disappointed for the people of my adopted nation at these turns of events.

On the other hand, U & ME & TENNESSEE did get its Scottish premiere, and I again express profound thanks - from Konrad Hopkins and myself - to the Glasgow University LGBT Society and to SCATS for their belief in the movie and their unreserved, full-hearted support.

Looking ahead, London will get another chance to experience Konrad Hopkins, but this time in the flesh, not merely onscreen! The British Library has invited Konrad down to speak about his experiences with Tennessee Williams this coming April, 2009.

And we continue to get requests from film festivals all around the world to submit our movie - so watch this space!

Photo copyright Alan Wylie 2006 -all rights reserved.
Text copyright Paul Birchard 2008 - all rights reserved.

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Wednesday, November 05, 2008

At LAST ! The Scottish PREMIERE ! ! !

Well- I knew it would happen SOMEDAY - but today is the DAY!

U & ME & TENNESSEE - an American romance...

is finally being screened in its nation of origin, in the city where it was made - indeed only a few yards from the very place that graciously allowed us to film our unscripted, no-holds-barred conversation about TENNESSEE WILLIAMS in the first place!

Wednesday, 5th November, 2008 -
U & ME & TENNESSEE - an American romance...
Glasgow University
8:00 p.m.

It has been a long time coming. The better part of two years ago I went to Glasgay! and suggested that 2008 would be a great year to devote the entire Glasgow festival of Queer culture to Tennessee Williams - after all, this would be the twenty-fifth anniversay of Tenn's death, and he was a towering artist whose work is still unfolding and touching people - gay, straight, in-between - worldwide.

"And if you DO decide to make a Tennessee Williams festival, I hope you'll include our movie, which features the only man in Scotland who actually knew Tennessee (in all senses of the word), who has a stack of letters from him that no one has seen before, and who has made this very candid, very moving portrait of their relationship and its impact upon them both."

Well, Glasgay! took the idea of a Tennessee Willams festival and ran with it - it was an idea whose time had come - but the cultural commissars, the self-appointed gatekeepers of gay culture in Glasgow, decided to ignore the only genuine link between Scotland and Mr. Williams. Incredible, but there it is.

A dear friend of mine, Rodger Parker, a gay man who recently tied the knot with Stephen Hubbard, his partner of thirty-five years (great wedding, by the way!) remarked to me:
"I mean, who is Glasgay! supposed to be for?!"

What's that they say about a great idea or revelation? First they ignore it, then they ridicule it, and finally it is accepted a a self-evident fact. U & ME & TENNESSEE has certainly had its share of the first stage of this process!

Happily, young people are not as hidebound or blinkered in their perceptions as their more established older brothers and sisters. The Glasgow University LGBT Society and the SCATS - the Student Cinema & Television Society have both wholeheartedly embraced our movie, and arranged for its Scottish premiere at the Gilmorehill G12 Cinema!

We filmed the original conversation that forms the largest part of our movie, in the Glasgow University Visitors' Centre cafe - so it's fitting that the project comes full circle and receives its welcome back where it all began on International Gay Pride Day in June, 2005.

Thanks to Alan Convery, and Didge, of the LGBT Society - and to SCATS - for their awesome support!
Photo Copyright Alan Wylie 2006 -All rights reserved.
Text Copyright Paul Birchard 2008 - All rights reserved.

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