Standing O Baby!

Posted October 3rd, 2008 by rgoslins

Had an AMAZING screening at the Sidewalk Festival in Birmingham Alabama Sunday night. The Alabama Theater was spectacular (honestly, I’ve seen crappier opera houses!), the line was around the block, the place was packed, and the audience was incredibly responsive, getting every joke and appreciating every reference. It was a pleasure to sit through the film with them. Bringing this film back to Birmingham, after all my travails and travels making it, really felt like a homecoming of it’s own.

At the end of the film I climbed to the stage to start the Q&A. As Jessica came up the steps to join me, the whole theater, all 2000 people, rose to their feet applauding to give us standing ovation. It was the most incredible moment of our whole journey with this film.

Almost all the girls were there, with their families. Jess, Creshema, Sara Catherine, Tatiana, and even Marvely (who showed up out of the blue - I haven’t had any contact with her since filming). They were all up on stage with me and lots of the questions were for them - what their inspirations in life were to be such strong women, what they were doing in their lives now. The most moving moment came at the end, when Jessica spoke about bringing her grandmother to see this film about her run for Homecoming Queen at the University in this gorgeous theater which, when her grandmother was growing up in Birmingham, she was never even allowed to enter. It kind of summed everything up in such an inspiring and personal way.

I had to stop writing, I ‘m running out of superlatives. But a great night, and thanks to all of your for your support of this film. Stay tuned for updates on DVD release and upcoming Festival screenings.