In June, we celebrate lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people and raise awareness of issues facing the community. Every Wednesday at 6 p.m. in June, you are invited to join UC ANR colleagues to view films about LGBTQ+ communities and participate in discussions after the shows from the comfort of wherever you are sheltering in place.

“The purpose is to celebrate inclusion and affirmation, as well as to learn about differences and U.S. history related to LGBTQ+ communities,” said Katherine Soule, who is organizing the events.

The films will be shared via Zoom for participants to watch, followed by a group discussion about each film, much like book club participants exchange their thoughts about books.

“I am proud to be a part of the UC system, where I can support meaningful work and live my life authentically,” Soule said. “I am humbled to be able to support others to have the same in their own lives.”

Bring your own beverage and join us for movies at 6 p.m. Wednesdays in June. The length of each session will vary with the length of the film. Register for the ANR Pride Film Fest at http://ucanr.edu/pride2020 to get the Zoom link.

The schedule of four documentaries selected by Soule is as follows:

June 3: State of Pride (2019) 70 min. – Fifty years after the Stonewall uprising, Oscar-winning filmmakers Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman and host Raymond Braun travel to three diverse communities - Salt Lake City, San Francisco and Tuscaloosa, Alabama - for an unflinching look at LGBTQ Pride, from the perspective of a younger generation for whom it still has personal urgency. 

June 10: The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson (2017) 1 hour, 45 min. – Who killed Marsha P. Johnson? When the beloved, self-described "street queen" of NY's gay ghetto was found floating in the Hudson River in 1992, the NYPD chalked it up as a suicide and refused to investigate. However, as shown in Academy Award (R) nominated director and journalist David France's (How to Survive A Plague) new film, it's a decision many questioned. Having played a pivotal role in the previous year's Stonewall Riots, in 1970, Johnson and fellow trans icon Sylvia Rivera formed the world's first trans-rights organization, STAR (Street Transvestites Action Revolutionaries). 

June 17: Kiki (2017) 1 hour, 34 min. – If anyone wondered where Madonna heard about "voguing," the documentary "Paris is Burning" was the answer. "Kiki" is another deep dive into the same scene. It's an intimate look at a marginalized community, many of whom rely on the various neighborhood clubs for support systems that don't exist anywhere else. The so-called "Kiki" scene is not just about the various competitive dance club contests. The scene provides a social structure, a "net" for kids who have nowhere else to go.

June 24: Three of Hearts: A postmodern family (2005) 97 min. – Steven, Samantha and Sam together form an amorous threesome, a "mariage-a-trois" of sorts. Their journey takes them from the more humorous and sensational aspects of such a relationship to moments that truly show the depth of their love and commitment to each other.