If you lived in small-town Mississippi, you could risk your life meeting friends for a drink at the local gay bar. That is exactly what happens in small towns in northeastern Mississippi, as you'll witness in this insightful, courageous examination of small-town gay life.
While many gay, lesbian and transgendered people flee small towns to find acceptance in larger cities, some decide to stay. This is their story. Small Town Gay Bar (81 mins) addresses the struggle to find a safe space and strong community in rural Mississippi, a merciless environment for outsiders of all kinds. For decades Mississippi's gay bars have served as oases of self expression among a group of people who are forced to hide their true identities from their communities every day. Produced by Kevin Smith and directed by Malcolm Ingram, Small Town Gay Bar is at once a history of oppression, a cry for peace, and an intricate portrait of two of these bars, Rumors and Crossroads, and the vibrant group of people who find a second home and a second family there.
Small Town Gay Bar is an enchanting tribute to the brave, creative and passionate owners and patrons of these establishments, where just existing can be a triumph.
Program also includes two short films: Out in the Heartland (19 mins), a stirring portrait of gay and lesbian families who rise up to defend their rights in Kentucky, and Clay Pride: Being Clay in America (4 mins), a poignant animation about a young man coming to terms with the fact that he's clay. Discussion and reception to follow.
Wed Oct 10 | 7 pm
CSPS | 1103 Third St SE | Cedar Rapids
Free | donations welcome

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