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Filmmaker/Gay Presbyterian Deacon opens film, TENNESSEE QUEER at The Plaza Theatre 4/18-24 *Plus Live Filmmaker Q&A's 18th & 19th

“What a sweet, charming film! Filled with sharp, unforced, quickly sketched observations…hilarious…the film assuredly strides toward its feel-good ending.”-Ernest Hardy, LA WEEKLY

 

Playing April 18-24, 2014 @ The Plaza Theatre

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1049 Ponce De Leon Ave NE Atlanta, GA 30306

404-873-1939(Filmmaker Q&A after screenings on the 18th & 19th)

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This wholesome film is unique in that it neither demonizes religion or sexuality, but bridges the gap, celebrating family and community. 

Website: http://tennesseequeer.popslice.com 

 

SYNOPSIS

After a few years up north in New York City, out and proud Jason Potts returns to his Tennessee hometown only to find things have not changed for LGBT teenagers.  Being gay is still the worst thing to be in Smyth, Tennessee.  Wanting to help these gay teens and give them some hope, Jason hatches a plan while he's home for the weekend.  Things quickly spiral out of control as Jason is put in charge of the first ever gay pride parade in this sleepy, small southern town.  Unknown to Jason, a scheming conservative city councilman and a holier-than-thou minister plan to round up Smyth’s gay teens after the parade and send them off to an ex-gay ministry camp to be cured of their sinful ways.  Will Jason succeed with the parade?  Will he be run out of town before the parade?  Will the gay teenagers be sent away?  Tune in as hilarity ensues in this heartwarming comedy.

 

FILMMAKER’S  COMMENTS

When I was writing "Tennessee Queer" in 2011, the Governor of Tennessee was afraid to strongly rebuke some religious conservatives who introduced anti-gay legislation at the state level and the Mayor of Memphis wouldn't  publicly speak out in favor of LGBT rights for city workers.   As the main character, Jason, says in the movie, "you can't pick and choose verses from the Bible and quote them like they’re the G-d damn US Constitution."  We live in a free country and when someone tries to take the laws of the Old Testament and enforce them in modern day America, that's when I have problem. 

 

In Memphis, we have lots of private schools that are part of a church or are very conservative.  Lots of these schools sprung up when the public schools integrated.   I was worried about the young high school kids in Memphis and Tennessee.  Things are getting better, but there is so much anti gay crap out there.  I hope this movie can be a beacon of hope for them.  That it’s okay to be gay.  That was not the message I got as a teenager in Memphis in the 1980's when I heard that AIDS was a punishment from God for being gay.  I heard this from national and local Memphis religious leaders.

Today, now a Deacon in the church, I believe that the all the people in the church should follow the two great commandments that Jesus lays out in Matthew, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your soul and with all your mind.”  And “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  Those verses are the heart of my Christian faith.  In "Tennessee Queer" the Mayor walks in the gay pride parade. It is my dream that one day the local Memphis mayor can do that and send such a positive message.    – Mark Goshorn Jones

MARK GOSHORN JONES (Co-Director / Writer / Producer) - Born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, Mark Goshorn Jones went to Presbyterian College in Clinton, South Carolina and got a degree in Religion.   While in college, Mark made the film PRESBYTERIAN COLLEGE AND THE PROHET OF DOOM based on the book of Amos from the Old Testament. 

After college, Mark worked for A Christian Ministry in the National Parks, preached at Rocky Knob National Park on Sunday’s, worked as youth director at the local Presbyterian Church in Greenville, Mississippi, and then moved back home to Memphis.  After interning at a couple of local TV stations he got a job at the local PBS station in Memphis as an associate producer for a few shows and then worked at the Fox station in Memphis.

Mark came out of the closet in 1994 and remembers watching Ira Sachs first film, “The Delta” at the P-Flag meeting in Memphis.  Mark thought that one day maybe he could make a gay theme movie in Memphis.  Mark worked on LGBT Pride Parade Committee in Memphis in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2002.  He also worked on the LGBT Pride River Boat Ride in 1998 and 1999. Mark served two stints on the Memphis Gay and Lesbian Community Center Board in 1998 and ’99, and then in 2007 and ‘08.  Mark was grand marshal of the LGBT Pride Parade in 2008. 

Mark has been very active in the Outflix Film Festival in Memphis, which has grown into a week long  LGBT film festival in Memphis.   The festival started in 1997 with Mark as a volunteer.  He then took on a leadership roll in 1998, 1999.  He took on a leadership roll again in 2002.  Then he worked on the committee from 2005-2011.  Mark served as director of the festival in 1999 and 2008.

Mark’s first professional film was ELI PARKER IS GETTING MARRIED? - a coming out story set on a farm in Mississippi.   The movie went to film festivals including the Mardi Gras Film Festival in Sydney Australia and aired on Memphis’ local PBS station.  Mark’s second film FRATERNITY MASSACRE AT HELL ISLAND went to half a dozen film festivals.  His web series ON THE EDGE OF HAPPINESS screened on the web in 2010.   And now his third film TENNESSEE QUEER has screened at over a dozen film festivals including half a dozen Universities and colleges and is now opening in theaters across the country. 

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