Date:
2/9/2005
Contact: Wendel Sloan at 505.562.2253
Reporter: Marc Schoder
PORTALES — Dusty Deen, a senior due tograduate in May from Eastern New Mexico University in Portales with adegree in graphic design and animation, co-directed and co-produced ashort documentary film that received honorable mention honors in therecent Governor's Cup Film Festival. He made the film with co-producerand co-director Amber Evans, also an ENMU student.
"Thefilm was done for a documentary class in the spring of 2004," saysDeen. Called "Gay Marriage: Perspectives of a Community," the 12 1/2minute documentary chronicles the reactions of members of a small NewMexico community to President Bush's proposed constitutional amendmentto ban gay marriage in the United States.
"Whenwe decided on a topic for the documentary, we wanted something thatwould stand out," says Deen. The film, which took five months tocomplete, had Deen speaking with many people from all walks of life,including New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson. "We found differentpeople to talk to through teachers here at the University, as well asthrough the local phone book to find preachers around Portales andClovis," says Deen. "We found a total of 33 churches in the phone book;we called 20 of them over a month's period. Only two were willing togrant us an interview."
Duringthe making of the film, Deen found that the opinions on gay marriagevaried on what part of Portales or Clovis he happened to be in. "Wefound that most who took conservative stances on issues werechurch-going individuals, as well as some individuals in theprofessional community," says Deen. "We were able to interview manycounty commissioners from both Roosevelt and Curry counties, as well asthe Governor himself."
Thanks toa personal invitation from Governor Richardson, the film made its wayto the 1st Annual Governor's Cup Film Festival. "I opened my e-mail tofind a message from the governor himself asking me to show the film atthe 1st Annual Governor's Cup Film Festival, which is a part of theSanta Fe Film Festival," says Deen.
Thenotoriety from the Governor's Cup gave Deen the opportunity to haveanother showing. "On February 25th, I will have a showing at GuildCinema on Central Ave. in Albuquerque," says Deen. He added, however,that the final details have yet to be ironed out.
"Ido have VHS tapes of the documentary for sale for $10, with fivedollars going to the Locks of Love Cancer Foundation," says Deen. "Ibecame involved with Lock of Love in November of 2003 and grew my hair17 inches to donate to their cause. The film was the last project Ifinished before cutting my hair and was a big part of my life at thetime, so I sold copies of the film to be sent with my hair donation. Istrongly believe in their organization and help them out wheneverpossible."
To order copies of the documentary on VHS, e-mail Deen at dustydeen@hotmail.com.