Date Posted:18:34:58 02/11/03 Tue Author: NKLS Cody Subject: 'Kid Gloves' the whitewash In reply to:
Queer
's message, "Fred the Movie!" on 15:55:57 02/11/03 Tue
I'm getting the impression the movie in question depicts Phelps in a more positive light than anyone has previously done in the media. This is an unusual approach that may very well step over the line as to where honest, respectful, and non-biased informational discussion of a progressive nature ends and some sort of admiration of Phelps by film maker Steve Drain begins. What if we find out later that Drain is a member of another church that supports Mr. "God Hates Fags"? From the info gleened from the folowing article, it's not out of the realm of possibility that's the case.
The part about Mr. Drain declining to mention what are his personal beliefs about the basic issues raised is very telling:
DAILY NEWS: Phelps' Hate in NYC; and ContentFilm Pact
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with articles by Eugene Hernandez, Matthew Ross and Brian Brooks/indieWIRE
>> Homophobic Minister Fred Phelps to Picket NY Underground Festival; Hateful Preacher Denounces Downtown Event as "Fag Propaganda"
(indieWIRE: 03.01.02) -- Next week's New York Underground Film Festival (NYUFF) will have an unlikely visitor, infamous homophobic minister Fred Phelps who is condemning the event as "fag propaganda." The news of Phelp's intention to picket the festival will end up being a major PR hit for all involved: the festival, Phelps, and a new documentary about the minister -- a movie that isn't even playing during the event.
"Its nothing but a gaggle of tired old fudgepackers and muffdivers trying to shock each other with their jaded filth," Phelps says in news release promoting the demonstration at the Festival. The announcement was forwarded to indieWIRE yesterday by the NYUFF and is set to be picked up by mainstream news outlets this weekend.
Phelps apparently caught wind of the underground festival after "Fred The Movie," a new documentary about him, was submitted to the Festival by filmmaker Steve Drain and later rejected by NYUFF programmers.
Betty Phelps, the minister's daughter-in-law, confirmed for indieWIRE yesterday that Fred Phelps would indeed be at the New York Underground Film Festival on March 9th, even though the doc will not. "The reason for us being there is to protest the filth," commented Betty Phelps in the conversation with indieWIRE yesterday. She indicated that about 20 people are traveling to New York from Kansas as part of their entourage. She also said that the group will make an appearance uptown at HBO earlier in the day, to protest their upcoming movie, "The Laramie Project," about the horrific gay-bashing death of college student Matthew Shepard in Laramie, WY.
Phelps has been an outspoken advocate against Shepard. The preacher taunted mourners in a demonstration at his funeral and Phelps has created a website which includes propaganda condemning Shepard. "The Laramie Project," which includes scenes depicting homophobic protestors like Phelps, opened this year's Sundance Film Festival in Utah.
Phelps' Westboro Baptist Church information promoting next week's protest in New York says that the NYUFF is misrepresenting itself as a "consumer" festival. He contends, in the flyer sent to indieWIRE, that the NYUFF is rather a "fag propaganda mill masquerading as a film fest." The news release also includes drawings of protest signs with the messages, "Thank God for Sept. 11," "NYC FDNY Fags," and "God Hates NYC Fags."
Festival chief Ed Halter is welcoming the increased attention at his downtown New York City event. "We are considering naming him an honorary publicist for the festival," Halter told indieWIRE last night. Asked how he will handle the demonstration, Halter seems unfazed by the hateful messages that will be presented outside his event. He also indicated that he may try to meet the minister. "I will probably thank him for the publicity, and I may try to introduce him to my Mom," Halter said.
"Fred The Movie," the documentary about Phelps, screened at the Anchorage Film Festival in December and will screen at the Washington DC Indie Fest next week, as well as the Hollywood Underground Film Festival in May.
"The film that I made more accurately and fairly depicts the church's ministry than any print or news story," Drain told indieWIRE yesterday. When asked for his assessment of Phelps, Drain offered, "I think he has more honesty and integrity in him then anyone I've ever met, he's going to tell you what's on his mind. He honestly believes he's serving God, (he) honestly believes that in his heart."
indieWIRE has not seen the film, but according to Halter the film "errs on the supportive side." However, Halter clarified that its slant is not totally clear. Finally, he added that the movie was rejected by the Festival because, "It is not a very well made doc." Betty Phelps told indieWIRE that she and Fred Phelps have seen the movie, adding that it "pretty accurately portrays" their message.
Drain indicated that he has submitted his film to numerous gay and lesbian film festivals, but thus far has been met with rejections. "There isn't anything more relevant to the gay community than a film about someone who says what you do is wrong," Drain countered. "I know people who are gay who have watched this film who say that it has journalistic integrity."
Asked to speak about his own views of the church and its message, the filmmaker remained coy, saying flatly, "This isn't a film about what Steve Drain thinks." However he is blunt about his stance that media outlets have thus far failed to accurately portray Phelps and his church. "I've seen literally hundreds of news stories about this church and this church's ministry -- the easiest thing to do is to come to a church like that and shoot stuff that makes them look like a bunch of buffoons." Continuing he added, "Just because they have a viewpoint that is not popular doesn't mean that they are not sincere -- I am not doing the same kind of yellow journalism -- like them or hate them its like a train wreck, you've got to look."
Halter admitted that he was initially concerned about the impact of Phelps' propaganda being presented outside his Festival, but he added that in a way, Phelp's is "gay people's best friend." Explaining, Halter added, "He is such a lunatic, he is giving a bad name to homophobia -- he's a kook, he paints that kind of stance as crazy and demonic." [Eugene Hernandez and Brian Brooks]
