Gray Matters - Sapphic Cinema Screening Benefit

On Tuesday, February 20, I attended a fabulous Benefit Film Premiere Screening Gala of a Lesbian romantic comedy. I went with Tony Sawicki and Robin Cloud to create a segment for Under the Pink Carpet. The film was Gray Matters, whose tagline is: “A Brother, A Sister, and the Girl of their Dreams.” It sounds like a delicious Sapphic Soap Operatic love triangle, indeed! Stars from the movie, Heather Graham, Molly Shannon and Alan Cumming attended the event with writer/director Sue Kramer. Ms. Kramer said that the film was inspired by her Lesbian sister. The gala was a pre-viewing benefit for Hetrick Martin Institute (home of the Harvey Milk High School for LGBT Youth) and took place in a ballroom and cinema screening room at the sophisticated TriBeCa Grill. I had the chance to meet again some wonderful filmmakers and people form the Hetrick-Martin Institute, who are doing such good and important work providing for LGBT youth. The Guest-list included: Sarah Wran (creator of After Ellen.com) and author Lauren Blitzer of She Said What? talk show on the Logo cable TV network. Plus, Abby Peck, Thomas Krever and David Mensah of Hetrick-Martin, Steven Carbajal of Fat Dot PR and others.

The film was very enjoyable and the Lesbian kissing and love scene was sizzling. I can see why critics have compared Heather Graham, who played Gray – the lead and title character - to a young Goldie Hawn. And it’s funny since writers have on several occasions said that I too resemble a young Goldie myself. Molly Shannon was hilarious as Gray’s gossipy office buddy. It was a pleasure meeting her since I'll never forget how funny she was on her two guest appearances on Will & Grace as a friend turned psycho and I also loved her on Saturday Night Live. The only thing more charismatic than Alan Cumming’s screen presence was his live presence that evening. We talked about his recent marriage to male graphic artist Grant Schaffer in Great Britain. Alan was a true Scottish charmer that evening and we had the most delightful time watching the film, chatting, sipping Martini’s and nibbling on the gourmet crab cakes.

Photos: Alan Cumming and Lady Clover Honey. Molly Shannon, Clover Honey and Sue Kramer