Family Values a Winner in Contest for Best Short Video Promoting Marriage Equality

Family Values a Winner in Contest for Best Short Video Promoting Marriage Equality

Select Entries to Be Screened at L.A.'s Outfest Film Festival

LOS ANGELES, June 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center of New York City announced Wednesday that the Grand Prize winner of the marriage equality video contest, Project Pushback, is Family Values created by L.A.-based filmmaker Andrew Putschoegl To view the winning video and others, visit: www.equalityvideo.org.

Outfest Executive Director Kirsten Schaffer announced today that a selection of Project Pushback entries will be screened at Outfest 2009: the 27th Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, which runs from July 9 - 19.

Family Values features Putschoegl's housemates -- a married gay couple with two children -- and the children's grandparents. He said he wanted to create a video that reflected LGBT-parented families and resonated with voters over age 65, who are among the least likely to support marriage equality.

"I see how it makes a difference in [my housemates'] lives, and the lives of their young children," Putschoegl wrote in an e-mail. "While I'm not ready to get married myself, I think it's important for people to have that option--and all of the rights and responsibilities that come with it."

The People's Choice award of $1,000 goes to Blaire Wedding Project, a spoof of the indie film sensation Blair Witch Project. Blaire Wedding was written and directed by Samantha Lavin, who works as an assistant director for the hit show Scrubs, and produced by Lori Brener, a freelance commercial producer and production consultant.

The contest received 68 entries from across the nation, from which 11 were selected as finalists by popular vote. From among the finalists, the $2,500 Grand Prize was selected by a panel of judges, who include: Academy Award-winning producer Bruce Cohen; Emmy Award-winning television director and producer Paris Barclay; MTV producer Sherri Brown Francois; award-winning blogger Andy Towle; political commentator Hilary Rosen; and Current TV producer Tracey Chang.

Source: L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center

CONTACT: L.A. Contact: Thomas Soule, +1-323-993-7622; or N.Y.C. Contact:
Allison Palmer, +1-212-620-7310

Web Site: http://www.equalityvideo.org/

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