The Mary Renault Society

Notes by David DeMarini and Harry Rosenberg

Fifteen members attended. The meeting began with a brief business session:

1. Future meeting hosts:
   Jan 22 Charlie/Jerry
   Feb 26 David Champagne
   Mar 25 Harry Rosenberg
   Apr 22 Tony DeAngelo
   May 27 David DeMarini
2. Speaker ideas: For future speakers, invite Les Geller to speak about the LGBT Center and Patricia Harris on Elder Housing.
3. Financial Report: Michael informed us that we started last July with $157.37 (a gift from the defunct TOGA group). A year later, we have $388.37, the current amount as of today. The group agreed unanimously that dues should be $20/yr per person or $30/yr per couple.
4. The nine people on the “non-responding” list will be asked to show an interest or be removed from the membership list by the end of August.
5. Bill encouraged us to look for someone who could eventually take over the programming tasks of the website.
6. RSVP. Two reminders should be sent before each meeting, as has been the practice this year.
7. Links. The Triangle Local Events site lists us, but no others. Possibilities for reciprocal links mentioned were UNC-CH and NC State LGBT groups, Q-Notes, www.outinraleigh.com, visitraleigh.com/glbt/resource list , and the LGBT Center of Raleigh. Having a MeetUp.Com site is a possibility, but it costs $$$. There was a consensus to explore a link with the Raleigh LGBT Center site and continue meeting at homes, with the LGBT Center (and NC Equality) as possible back-ups). The business meeting concluded at 8:45; Bill conducted it.

In the meeting presentation, Charlie gave us an introduction to this year’s Gay & Lesbian Film Festival (the second largest in the southeastern US) at the Carolina Theater in Durham. This, the 16th annual festival, will be held August 11-14. On Thursday and Friday, it goes from 1 p.m. to midnight; on Saturday and Sunday, it goes from 9 a.m. to midnight. 84 films are included, with shorts shown in groups of 3 or 4. Occasionally, filmmakers will be present for Q & A sessions afterwards, and there are parties Friday ($150, a VIP party with food and music) and Saturday (Plaza Party, $15, with beer and wine included) evenings.
The NC G&LFF website at the Carolina Theater’s website contains a great, interactive website for the film festival. On the schedule page you just click on a film and get a description and a chance to see a trailer for the film.
Then Charlie presented trailers of some of the full-length films included. Kink Crusader deals with the egalitarianism of the annual Mr. Leather contest. From Hollywood to Dollywood is the story of two Goldsboro brothers obsessed with following Dolly Parton across country. Circumstance, a women’s film that won Sundance and Outfest awards, was made by an Iranian woman (though not in Iran), and it’s about lesbians there. Also at Sundance was Private Romeo, a story of love at a military school. Au Pair, Kansas tells the story of a male au pair who goes to a farm in Kansas to help raise two boys and 50 bison. And there are other full-length films, plus many combinations of shorts (some brief).
To get tickets, call the Carolina Theater’s box office (open 10 to 4 M-F; press ‘6’ to get a real person). The box office and theaters are physically closed for renovation until the festival starts, but you can call for tickets. Individual tickets are $9, but a 10-pass is $75; tickets go on sale on July 27. You can also purchase ticket online without a fee.
Charlie noted that he had brought a copy of Howl, a very popular film from the last festival, but the evening was pleasantly rather far gone by then. We held off on it until, perhaps, a future meeting.