Out of the Past is a 1998 American documentary film directed by Jeff Dupre. The script was written by Michelle Ferrari and the film was produced by Eliza Byard, Jeff Dupre, and Michelle Ferrari. It depicts the attempt to establish a gay–straight alliance club at East High School during the 1995-1996 school year which resulted in the Salt Lake City Board of Education banning all extracurricular clubs to prevent its creation. It compares the actions of Kelli Peterson with historical gay icons.

The film premiered at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award for Best Documentary. It also won the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Documentary at the 10th GLAAD Media Awards [it].

Synopsis

Out of the Past tells the story of Kelli Peterson's involvement with the founding of a gay-straight alliance at Salt Lake City's East High School in the 1995-1996 school year. It is told in segments which are broken up by the inclusion of historical LGBTQ persons. Voice-overs are used to convey the historical segments, which begin with Michael Wigglesworth. Also featured are the Boston marriage of Sarah Orne Jewett and Annie Adams Fields; Henry Gerber and the founding of the Society for Human Rights; Bayard Rustin's organization of the March on Washington; and Barbara Gittings's activism.

Commentary from historians, as well as theologian Peter J. Gomes, are included in the historical sections to explain how the knowledge of these figures's lives has an effect on the modern understanding of these historical eras. After each historical segment, the story returns to footage with Peterson, including her testimony in front of the school board, interviews including her parents, and footage of the gay-straight alliance members. National media broadcasts regarding the school board's decision to ban all extracurricular clubs are also included.

Background

During the 1995-1996 school year, Kelli Peterson and other students petitioned for the creation of a gay-straight alliance club at East High School.[2] At the end of January 1996, Utah State Senators met in secret to determine how to legally stop the club.[3] One option considered was passing State Senator Craig Taylor's Senate Bill 246, which he stated would prevent schools from advocating illegal actions.[4] State Senator Charles Stewart suggested simply not accepting federal funding for Utah schools.[4] The ACLU held a meeting of nearly 200 supporters, approximately a third of which were students, and provided postage-paid postcards for attendees to use in writing to Lane Beattie, the president of the Utah Senate, and Utah Governor Mike Leavitt, in support of the club.[5]

The Salt Lake City Board of Education held a hearing on February 20, 1996 to discuss their possible recourse to prevent the club without violating the Equal Access Act of 1984.[6] Violating the Act would mean a potential loss of US$120,000,000 for all Utah public schools.[7] The East High School Community Council had voted to allow the club so long as it complied with the same regulations as other clubs, while also adding a parental consent form for all extracurricular clubs as a requirement.[8]

In the February session of the Utah State Legislature, they passed SB246, which Leavitt subsequently vetoed, fearing a challenge on First Amendment grounds.[9]

Cast

Production

Out of the Past was directed and produced by Jeff Dupre, with Michelle Ferrari and Eliza Byard as co-producers.[1] It was Dupre's first solo project,[10] begun in 1995.[11] Dupre stated that one of his desires in making the film was to have it included in school curricula.[12]

Cinematographer Buddy Squires used 16 mm film to record the production. It was edited by George O'Donnell and Toby Shimin. Matthias Gohl composted the music.[1]

Themes

One of the themes expressed in Out of the Past is the equation of the Civil rights movement and the LGBTQ rights movement.[13] It argues that there is a present need to continue advocating for equal rights.[14] The film also advocates the reclamation of historical LGBTQ persons as a means of eliminating stereotypes,[15] as well as the importance of understanding history and how that enables the understanding of oneself.[16] It also expresses how knowing LGBTQ history creates a point of reference for LGBTQ youth.[17]

Release

Out of the Past premiered January 16, 1998 at the Sundance Film Festival.[1] Initial distribution was handled through Zeitgeist Films,[18] and it was later picked up for distribution by Unapix Films for theatrical release.[19] It screened at the first Newport International Film Festival on June 3-4,[20], at a special screening at the White House in mid-June,[21] and at the Frameline Film Festival on June 22.[22] It screened at Outfest LA on July 11,[23] and at the Screening Room in Tribeca on July 31.[24] It played at the Red Vic in San Francisco on August 26.[25] The documentary played in Los Angeles at the Grande 4-Plex in September.[15] It screened at the Minneapolis LGBT Film Festival on October 3.[26]

When playing in theaters, it was sometimes paired with the short film Dottie Gets Spanked.[27]

Out of the Past aired on PBS in October 1998, and Dupre requested that viewers make VHS recordings of it to donate to their local schools.[21] The film also aired on Sundance TV in June 1999.[28]

Home media

A-Pix released Out of the Past on VHS in October 1998.[29] Wolfe Video served as a VHS distributor,[17] as did Facets Multi-Media.[30]

Ardustry Home Entertainment released a DVD version on April 26, 2005, with monaural sound. It is presented in full frame. The only reported special feature included is a chapter selection dividing the disc content into ten parts.[13]

Critical reception

Emanuel Levy, writing for Variety, approved of the method that Dupre used in telling the stories of historical figures interspersed with Peterson's story, calling it "original and evocative." While Levy found the issue at East High and the Utah Legislature's subsequent reaction "interesting," he was more intrigued by the other persons included, stating that they give the film a "greater socio-historical significance." Levy also approved of the archival footage used, as well as the value of the production overall.[1]

Jan Stuart, writing for The Advocate, was impressed overall with the juxtaposition of Peterson's story and those of the selected historical persons. Stuart approved of the little-known figures chosen, stating that they underscore the fact that they illustrate that LGBTQ persons have long sought and fought for equal rights. Stuart was impressed with the voice-over cast, and called Linda Hunt's narration "elegant." Stuart also commented that the meeting between Peterson and Gittings seemed "awkward."[31]

Colin Covert, writing for The Minnesota Star Tribune, stated that the documentary felt like "a politically correct history lesson" but also found the method of intertwining the stories to be "engaging."[26] Stephen Holden, writing for The New York Times, said it was "efficiently edited," calling the biographies of historical figures "concise."[24] G. Allen Johnson, writing for the San Francisco Chronicle, on the other hand, commented that the brevity of the sections on the historical persons led to them being perceived as icons rather than people. Johnson stated that those portions disrupted the "pacing and energy" established with the segments involving Peterson. Johnson found those parts "compelling."[25]

Krissy Smallwood, writing for Goucher College's The Quindecem, noted that the film intends everyone to be the audience, not only LGBTQ persons. Smallwood found it to be "powerful and moving," commenting on how it highlights the "positive impact" of LGBTQ persons throughout U.S. history.[32] Lisanne Skyler, writing for the website Film Scouts, called it "richly layered" and commented that the way the film argues for the inclusion of LGBTQ figures in the teaching of American history is both "powerful" and highlights the "painful alienation" LGBTQ teens experience.[33]

Gary Handman, writing for American Libraries, called the history presented "fascinating," commenting that Dupre using Peterson's story as framing brings the other figures's stories "out of the shadows."[30] Doris Tourmarkine, writing for Film Journal International, stated that the documentary did have some "awkward shifts", and would struggle to gain attention, despite being "uplifting" and a "valuable document" of LGBTQ history with respect to acceptance.[14]

Reviewing the DVD, Daniel Kelly of DVD Talk suggested that while the documentary's method of weaving historical figures into Peterson's story was interesting, he would probably have preferred that the her story be told separately. Kelly felt that the section on Bayard Rustin was particularly important.[13]

Audience reception

At Outfest LA, the screening was filled to capacity, and the audience gave it a standing ovation.[12]

Accolades

Out of the Past was included on the short-list of sixteen documentaries competing for the Grand Jury prize at the 1998 Sundance festival.[34] Though it did not receive that award, the film did receive the Audience Award for Best Documentary.[35] It also received an Honorable Mention from the Outfest LA grand jury for Best Documentary Feature.[36]

In 1999, it also received the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Documentary,[37] and The Advocate included the film in a list of LGBTQ rights videos it considered essential.[38]

See also

References

Sources

source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Out_of_the_Past_(1998_film)