Home Arts Documentary to focus on Anoka-Hennepin’s long battle over LGBT inclusion

Documentary to focus on Anoka-Hennepin’s long battle over LGBT inclusion

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Documentary to focus on Anoka-Hennepin’s long battle over LGBT inclusion

normalvalidlives

A documentary film is being planned to document the struggles of LGBT students in the Anoka-Hennepin School District.

What Were We Thinking Films is creating “Normal Valid Lives,” an in-depth look at the bullying and harassment in the Anoka-Hennepin School District and the anti-LGBT policies that have been the target of controversy for decades. The documentary will highlight the grassroots organizing by students, staff, parents, and community members that helped highlight the problems in the district.

“This story of incredible bravery — a story of students and adults fighting terrible odds and of the injustices committed against them by their own schools and communities — has to be told,” producer Jan Radder said in a statement. “It’s inspiring, and heartbreaking, and moving. And it shows how a small group of determined people really can make a difference.”

“If this film can open people’s eyes to the need for protections for LGBTQ students and the importance of curbing bullying in our schools,” director Gorman Bechard said, “perhaps we can not only help bring dignity and compassion to all students, but we can also save lives.”

The Connecticut-based What Were We Thinking Films is perhaps best known for another Minnesota-based feature. “Color Me Obsessed” is a rockumentary about Minneapolis’ The Replacements and features a huge slate of entertainment icons including Tommy Ramone, George Wendt, Tom Arnold, and Matt Pinfield.

“Normal Valid Lives” will be directed by Gorman Bechard and produced by Jan Radder and Stephen Handwerk. The group have obtained fiscal sponsorship through The Film Collective and are raising funds to complete the project through Seed & Spark.

Principal photography will begin in July.

The group has put together an introductory trailer for the upcoming documentary:

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Andy Birkey has written for a number of Minnesota and national publications. He founded Eleventh Avenue South which ran from 2002-2011, wrote for the Minnesota Independent from 2006-2011, the American Independent from 2010-2013. His writing has appeared in The Advocate, The Star Tribune, The Huffington Post, Salon, Cagle News Service, Twin Cities Daily Planet, TheUptake, Vita.mn and much more. His writing on LGBT issues, the religious right and social justice has won awards including Best Beat Reporting by the Online News Association, Best Series by the Minnesota chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, and an honorable mention by the Sex-Positive Journalism awards.