Out in the Silence
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Out in the Silence
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Comedy Documentary Family

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A gray winter sky hangs over lonely city streets, rotted oil derricks, and abandoned factories. This is Oil City, Pennsylvania, a fading industrial to...wn in the heart of the American rust belt. It is the sort of town that Barrack Obama had in mind when he made his infamous comments about bitter small town residents clinging to their guns and religion as they watch the rest of the world pass them by. The peace and quiet is shattered when the filmmaker, Oil City native Joe Wilson, places the announcement of his wedding to another man in the local paper. The announcement catches the eye of Kathy Springer, a local woman whose teenage son, CJ, is being brutally tormented at school because he is gay. Ignored by the school authorities and with no where else to turn, she seeks help from Wilson and they begin a difficult but ultimately successful struggle to take on the school authorities who made every day "eight hours of pure hell" for CJ. The announcement has a very different effect on Diane Gramley, head of the local chapter of the ultra-conservative American Family Association. Infuriated by the prospect of the "homosexual agenda" invading her little town, she issues an action alert calling on townspeople to denounce same sex marriage and all other forms of "perversion". Over the next four years Wilson navigates the ins and outs of being different in a conservative small town. He makes an unexpected friendship with an evangelical pastor that demonstrates the understanding that can develop when people on different sides of an issue lay down their swords and get to know one another. And he helps a lesbian couple renovate an historical downtown theatre that could catalyze the town's economic revitalization - if the community will accept them. The greatest change occurs in Wilson himself as he realizes that while maverick acts such as the publication of his wedding announcement can create a splash, creating lasting change in small towns takes the courage and ongoing commitment of local folks to speak out and live openly. Show More

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life has been intertwined with the Wilson family for years. She reaches out to Joe, wanting to share her story and experiences of growing up gay in Oil City.

As Joe and his partner, Dean, return to Oil City to document Kathy's story, they quickly realize that the town is deeply divided on the issue of homosexuality. They encounter fierce opposition from community members who view their presence as a threat to their traditional values.

Through interviews and personal narratives, the film explores the lives of LGBTQ+ individuals in Oil City, as well as the challenges they face in a conservative and often hostile environment. It highlights the stories of students who have been bullied at school, families torn apart by their loved ones' sexuality, and the struggles of local gay and lesbian activists fighting for acceptance and equality.

Out in the Silence underscores the importance of acceptance, understanding, and dialogue in order to break down the barriers that separate communities and foster homophobia. It ultimately serves as a powerful call to action for social change and equality, encouraging viewers to reflect on their own beliefs and prejudices.

With its emotionally charged storytelling and thought-provoking content, Out in the Silence offers a compelling exploration of the complexities of LGBTQ+ life in small-town America and the universal human desire for love and acceptance.