Film: Johnny & Lyman: A Life Together

Film Title: Johnny & Lyman: A Life Together

Award Designation: Love Unlimited Film Festival & Art Exhibition Award Winner.

Country: USA

Category: Short Film

Short Synopsis: Two men, 65 years together. What can they tell us about surmounting challenges, keeping a relationship alive and strong, and grace?


Detailed Synopsis: Contemporary American society places tremendous value on marriage, yet this institution is denied to gay and lesbian couples in fulfilling, long-term relationships, many of which have outlasted those of their straight counterparts. Instead of being celebrated as models of commitment, gay relationships have been marginalized or ignored by mainstream society. The documentary profiles the relationship of Johnny and Lyman, two men who have lived together through tremendous social change--who met on VJ Day, and since then, have never parted. Working at 20th Century Fox as an art director and film editor, they have worked in films, television, and Broadway. The historical perspective of these two men spans pre-Stonewall to present, providing fascinating insights into how much has changed for GLBT people, as well as challenging and dispelling stereotypes on gay relationships. After 63 years of committed life together, we are privileged to watch them obtain a marriage license and legally marry, and watch the community honor and recognize their life together. They share their insights on monogamy and commitment, and their depth of feelings towards each other, providing an inspiring and edifying conclusion. With the current political debate surrounding gay marriage and legislative measures being considered by its opponents, their story is vital and timely to change hearts and minds towards understanding gay relationships, and promoting equal rights.


More Information:

Director Statement:
Contemporary American society places tremendous value on marriage, yet this institution is denied to gay and lesbian couples in fulfilling, long-term relationships, many of which have outlasted those of their straight counterparts. Instead of being celebrated as models of commitment, gay relationships have been marginalized or ignored by mainstream society.

Johnny & Lyman: A Life Together profiles two men who have lived together through tremendous social change, who met the day WWII ended, and since then, have never parted. The historical perspective of these two men spans pre-Stonewall to present, providing fascinating insights into how much has changed for GLBT people, as well as authentically presenting gay lives, so important for challenging and dispelling stereotypes.

With the current political debate surrounding gay marriage and legislative measures being considered by its opponents, the inspiring and edifying story of these two men's relationship is even more vital and timely to change hearts and minds towards understanding gay relationships, and promoting equal rights.

It was a privilege to document this story, and appreciate the humor, graciousness, and insights of these two gentlemen.

--pd

Resumes:

Paul Detwiler: Additional Photography, Co-Producer, Editor, Preview Return, Print Return, Print Shipper, Publicist, Submission Contact
Paul Detwiler is a videographer, producer, director, and editor in San Diego. His company, SOLID Multimedia, has produced biological science educational videos for high school and college audiences. He has traveled in Australia and Mexico to produce natural history videos for nonprofit conservation organizations. His interests include marine invertebrate ecology, coral reef management and conservation, and developing multimedia for marine science education.

He has held teaching, research, and consulting positions with San Diego State University, the University of San Diego, both the San Diego and Los Angeles Natural History Museums, the National Ocean Sciences Bowl, Reef.org, and Scripps Institution of Oceanography. He has worked as a writer and editor, and is author of Discovering the Living Ocean, a college-level laboratory manual in marine biology. Currently, he teaches Marine Biology and Oceanography at San Diego Mesa College, emphasizing experiential learning activities in biological science curricula.

Michael Chen: Co-Producer
Michael Chen is a general assignment reporter for KGTV in San Diego, California. Michael has also worked at WLUK-TV in Green Bay, Wisconsin, as a reporter and weekend anchor. Michael has won numerous awards for his reporting, including stories profiling 9/11 survivors, and the 2004 San Diego wildfires. Michael has also served as an associate programmer for the San Diego Asian Film Festival since 2004.


News & Reviews
"Married men’s 65-year relationship inspiration for documentary"
Gay San Diego (July 17, 2010)
http://www.gay-sd.com/arts-entertainment/movies/married-mens-65-year-relationship-inspiration-for-documentary/



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