Two sisters who “came out” to their Latin mother.
BOSTON, Ma—The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is pleased to announce the Boston premiere of the film Before God: We Are All Family, November 21, 2013 at Fenway Health. The film tells a story of reconciliation that documents the compelling journey of five Latino families who reconcile their unbreakable love for each other and their deep commitment to living faithful lives in the face of religious-based intolerance of those with different sexual orientations and gender identities.
“This short documentary is a story of reconciliation and will be meaningful for anyone who has longed to find a way to bring together who they are, whom they love and what they believe,” said Dr. Sharon Groves, director of the HRC Religion and Faith Program.
“Familia – family – is at the center of the intersection of faith, sexuality and culture for Latinos. This film brings these worlds together in ways we have not seen before,” said Lisbeth Melendez Rivera, national coordinator for A la Familia, a project under HRC’s Religion and Faith Program. [pullquote]“Familia – family – is at the center of the intersection of faith, sexuality and culture for Latinos. This film brings these worlds together in ways we have not seen before,” said Lisbeth Melendez Rivera, national coordinator for A la Familia, a project under HRC’s Religion and Faith Program.[/pullquote]
The film explores the experiences of lesbian, gay, and transgender people of deep faith – who have been told there is no place for them in their church of origin, and for their parents and siblings – who have been cruelly asked to choose between those they love and the religion they trust. For many in the LGBT community, coming out to friends or family is an intimidating, and sometimes frightening moment. For those in the Latino community the struggle is often compounded at the intersection of religion, cultural identity and family.
Shot in United States and in Puerto Rico and moving between English and Spanish, Before God shows the daily struggle of immigrant and native born Latino families who find their strength and their faith through the struggles they face.
Groves added, “By boldly and lovingly exploring the delicate web of faith, family, and sexuality, the families in Before God do something extraordinary. They offer us a path from exile to liberation where difference becomes the source of strength and the spirit of an expansive love–so central to Latino culture—can flourish and call all of us to a new way to be familia.”
HRC is partnering with Fenway Health to bring Before God to Boston. Fenway Health aims to enhance the wellbeing of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and all people in surrounding neighborhoods through access to the highest quality health care, education, research and advocacy. Fenway Health’s Ansin Building is the largest facility ever constructed with a specific mission to serve the LGBT community. For more information on the event, and to view a trailer of the film, please visit the A La Familia event page.
[From a News Release]
