Posts Tagged 'bill bowersock'

“Thank You For Your Call” Wins Jury Award for Best Documentary Short Film

Outfest 2011 came to an end this weekend, and Thank You For Your Call was fortunate enough to have won the jury award for outstanding documentary short film.  This is my first award of any kind for my photography and documentary work, so it’s a great feeling to know that the film has impacted some people.  I’m also proud to have helped bring some much needed to attention to Bill’s story.  He’s a great man and a good friend and I’m happy to have met him.

From indiewire.com:

For its moving examination of one man’s emotional journey through a complex and systematic issue of inequity which currently and will continue to affect many of us, we award the Outfest 2011 Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Documentary Short Film to “Thank You for Your Call,” directed by Shawn Nee.

It’s been a year since the film was made, and unfortunately people are still treated unfairly in this country and the Social Security Administration continues to discriminate against the LGBT community.  So it’s important that people be persistent and continue fighting for what they believe in until everyone is treated equally.

To see what other films won at the festival go here.

“Thank You For Your Call” at the DGA Theater

If you’re in the Hollywood area today and have about 4 minutes to spare, “Thank Your For Your Call” is playing at the DGA Theater on Sunset Boulevard.  The screening starts at 4:15 and tickets can be purchased at the door for $13.  The film was also mentioned in the Los Angeles Times this week:

Though there is lighter fare such as the comedy “Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same” in the festival, which begins Thursday evening and continues through July 17, the majority of the features, documentaries and shorts hit political hot buttons for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender audiences, as well as others interested in such issues as gay marriage and anti-gay bias.

Two examples are the short “Thank You for Your Call,” which examines the plight of survivors of same-sex partnerships who cannot collect Social Security, and the documentary “Wish Me Away,” about the fallout from country singer Chely Wright’s decision to come out.

To read the entire article click here.

“Thank You For Your Call” Featured In Outfest 2011

You might remember our own Shawn Nee’s excellent documentary short, “Thank You For Your Call,” got some good buzz last year when it was released. Now it’s been accepted to Outfest 2011, the 10-day gay and lesbian film festival held every year in Los Angeles. If you’re so inclined, the film will show before the AIDS documentary We Were Here on Saturday, July 9 at the DGA Theater on Sunset Boulevard.

The festival runs from July 10-17 and features 163 films from 25 countries.

Face of SS Rights on Sitcom?!

Photo by Shawn Nee / discarted

Look who showed up in the CBS comedy “$#*! My Dad Says” as a member of the gay men’s choir – Bill Bowersock, featured in Shawn’s mini-doc “Thank You For Your Call.” It’s nice to see he’s getting some good gigs. (On a side note, Frasier’s dad looks terrible!)

Watch it here.

“Thank You For Your Call” at Open Show Los Angeles

This Thursday evening, the Translight Photography Center will host the first Open Show Los Angeles event near the downtown area.

Conceived in 2008 under the name SideSlam, photographer and multimedia producer Tim Wagner, along with Adrianne Koteen and Melanie Light, created the event to give artists the opportunity to showcase their work and receive feedback for their efforts. Two years later, what began as a small gathering in the San Francisco Bay Area is now called Open Show and being held in cities throughout the world.

Open Show runs regular events where the public can see fresh, compelling work and interact directly with photographers, filmmakers and multimedia producers in high‐profile spaces. Our free monthly show is a social mixer plus screening event where five curated presenters (from professionals to students) have 10 minutes each to show a 20 image story or 4‐7 minute video/multimedia project.

The presenters for Open Show Los Angeles are:

Mark Indig (Close on Sunday) : MarkIndigPhotography.com

Shawn Nee (Thank You For Your Call) : discarted.com

Steve Saldivar (East Los Angeles) : stevesaldivar.com

Michael Kirchoff (An Enduring Grace) : michaelkirchoff.com

LOS ANGELES SHOW:
Thursday, October 21, 7:30-9:30pm
Translight Photography Center
618 Moulton Ave., Suite #E
Los Angeles, CA 90031

RSVP on Facebook

Please Help Publish “Thank You For Your Call”

In July I created a multimedia project entitled “Thank You For Your Call,” which helped shed some light on the fact that thousands of LGBT community members are unfairly denied Social Security survivors benefits each year because the federal government does not consider their relationships vaild. Over the past few months, the video appeared on NPR, NBC, The New Yorker, and The Advocate. However, I am now trying to get the still images and the story published in print form, which is a difficult task in itself.

One avenue is through JPG Magazine, but in order for that to happen the project needs your vote. So I am asking readers to join JPG Magazine and vote “Yes” if you think  “Thank You For Your Call” deserves publishing.

Click here to help publish “Thank You For Your Call”

And I apologize for the campaigning, but this story must be seen by as many people as possible.

Social Security Benefits, Not for Everyone

Bill Bowersock and Shawn Nee’s “Thank You For Your Call” documentary video on KNBC’s “The Filter With Fred Roggin.”

Social Security Equality On KNBC

Photo by Shawn Nee

The local LA politics show “The Filter With Fred Roggin” is doing a segment on social security equality,  interviewing Bill Bowersock and using Shawn Nee’s documentary video. The issue has gained a bit of traction over the past week, from an initial post on LAist.com, to The Atlantic, Dan Savage and The New Yorker. Not bad for a little-discussed civil rights issue.

If you’re in the Los Angeles area, be sure to tune in Wednesday night, July 28, at 7:30 pm on KNBC’s digital channel (Charter 304, Cox 804, Time Warner 225, Verizon FIOS 460 and on Channel 4 Sunday nights at 11:30 pm). If you’re not, you can watch the segment here after 10 p.m.

Thank You For Your Call

In 1935, the Social Security Act was created to help ensure the economic safety of America’s elderly.

As of July 2010, the United States Social Security Administration does not recognize same-sex marriages or domestic partnerships as valid relationships.

Consequently, thousands of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender seniors are denied Social Security benefits every year.

Ineligible for Social Security surivors benefits, and faced with undue economic burdens, many LGBT seniors are often forced to give up their homes after losing their partner.

To learn more about this issue please visit rockforequality.org

Video by Shawn Nee / discarted



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