''Out in the Silence'' is a 2009 documentary film directed by Joe Wilson and

Dean Hamer Dean Hamer (; born May 29, 1951) is an American geneticist, author, and filmmaker. He is known for his research on the role of genetics in sexual orientation and for a series of popular books and films that have changed scientific and public un ...

. It chronicles the chain of events that occur when the severe bullying of a gay teenager draws Wilson and his partner back to the conservative rural community of

Oil City, Pennsylvania Oil City is the largest city in Venango County, Pennsylvania, United States. Known for its prominence in the initial exploration and development of the petroleum industry, it is located at a bend in the Allegheny River at the mouth of Oil Cre ...

, where their own same-sex wedding announcement had previously ignited a controversy. The film focuses on the widely varying, emotional reactions of the town's residents including the teenager and his mother, the head of the local chapter of the

American Family Association The American Family Association (AFA) is a conservative and Christian fundamentalist 501(c)(3) organization based in the United States.LGBT LGBTQ people are individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning. Many variants of the initialism are used; LGBTQIA+ people incorporates intersex, asexual, aromantic, agender, and other individuals. The gro ...

) people and promote dialogue and bridge building. The campaign has held over 500 grassroots screenings in town halls, schools, churches, and community centers, many in isolated areas that had not previously experienced any openly LGBT events. The Center for Social Media and the BRITDOC Foundation have highlighted the campaign as an example of using film for social change. In 2011, the Campaign initiated the Out in the Silence Youth Activism Award to highlight the work of young people on LGBT inclusion and equality. In 2022,

Frameline Film Festival The Frameline Film Festival (also known as San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival and formerly known as San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival; San Francisco International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival) is an annual event that ...

established the Out in the SIlence award to recognize outstanding film projects that highlight brave acts of LGBTQ+ visibility in places where such acts are not common.

Awards and recognition

Festival awards and recognition

Premiere,

Human Rights Watch Human Rights Watch (HRW) is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Headquartered in New York City, the group investigates and reports on issues including War crime, war crimes, crim ...

International Film Festival, Lincoln Center, NY

br> Winner, Special Jury Prize for Bravery in Storytelling,

Nashville Film Festival The Nashville Film Festival (NashFilm), held annually in Nashville, Tennessee, is the oldest running film festival in the South and one of the oldest in the United States. In 2016, Nashville Film Festival received more than 6,700 submissions from ...

br>

Winner, Special Jury Prize for Social Significance, South Dakota Film Festivalbr>
br> Winner, Alternative Spirit Award,

Rhode Island International Film Festival Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF) takes place every year in Providence and Newport, Rhode Island as well as satellite locations throughout the state. Started in 1997, the Festival is produced by Flickers, the Newpor ...

Winner, Audience Award, Hardacre Film and Cinema Festivalbr>

Winner, Best Documentary, Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festiva

Winner, Best Documentary, Long Island Gay and Lesbian Film Festivalbr>

Winner, Best Documentary, Out Takes New Zealand Gay Lesbian Film Festivalbr>

Winner, Rosebud Award, Rosebud Film Festival
Featured presentation,

Tribeca Tribeca ( ), originally written as TriBeCa, is a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan in New York City. Its name is a syllabic abbreviation of "Triangle Below Canal Street". The "triangle" (more accurately a quadrilateral) is bounded by Canal Str ...

Documentary Serie

Television broadcast and awards

Broadcast premiere, Public Broadcasting Service, PBS, 201

br> Encore broadcasts, PBS World, 2010; PBS, 201

br> America Reframed broadcast, PBS World, 201

br>

Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...

, Outstanding Achievement in Documentary, National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Mid-Atlantic Chapte

References

External links

* * {{IMDb title, 1564058 2009 documentary films 2009 films 2009 LGBTQ-related films Documentary films about human rights Documentary films about same-sex marriage in the United States Documentary films about violence against LGBTQ people Films about bullying LGBTQ culture in Pennsylvania Documentary films about Pennsylvania 2000s English-language films 2000s American films English-language documentary films American LGBTQ-related documentary films