March On Film to Debut at Austin Gay and Lesbian Film Festival
By Michael Boyajian
March On the monumental documentary directed by Laura McFerrin will debut at the Austin Gay and Lesbian Film Festival September 12. The film features coverage of five families along with 250,000 participants as they march on the nation’s capital in support of marriage equality.
Lt. Dan Choi is featured. Choi blew the lid off the military’s Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy and as a result he was discharged from the New York National Guard even though he was a combat veteran in Iraq. He puts forth the most powerful line in the movie, “Of all the things worth fighting for love is what is worth fighting for.” Lady Gaga is also shown crying out in anguish before the marchers asking President Obama from the podium, “Are you listening?”
The film features touching behind the scenes coverage of five families as they make their way to the march and what they experience at the march. You can feel the anguish of the five families and the quarter million marchers as they stand up for their rights.
The film also includes marriage equality poster couple Michael Sabatino, Jr. and Robert Voorheis as they prepare to travel to the march. Most people need just a passport to board a plane and travel but gay couples need a host of documents including health care proxies and marriage licenses in case of a healthcare emergency. Without documentation then the only person with control over the patient’s life and death is the patient.
Michael and Robert returned from their wedding only to be asked to leave the choir by the Catholic Church that they had sung in for years. The devout couple refused to be denied their beliefs and joined the nearest Episcopal choir where they sing to this day.
The film shows how couples met and fell in love and married. It shows how this is not just a gay rights movement but a civil rights movement. The overriding message of the film is that this march in the name of love changed the lives of all 250,000 participants forever.
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