Out in the Heartland

In 2004, the state of Kentucky passed a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage (another amendment prohibiting adoption by gay parents is tentatively slated for a vote this year). For Bob and Jeff and their adopted son Adam, one of three gay families profiled in Gretchen Hildebran's short documentary Out in the Heartland, the same-sex marriage ban (which passed with a disheartening 75% approval) leaves them torn between love for “a state we've always called home” and understandable fears about their family's future. Jeff's parents, also interviewed here, clearly love their son, his mate, and their grandson, but chose not to take a stand against their mega-church's decision to spend $150,000 on a media campaign defining marriage as “one man, one woman.” Also profiled are Abby, a divorced mother who came out of the closet five years ago, and Jennifer and Joan, who've lived together with their now-teenaged son David for 17 years (David recalls some tough times in middle school, but otherwise appears to be a very typical well-adjusted teen). Combining archival news footage with interview clips, the film offers more of a snapshot of a loathsome piece of legislation than an in-depth portrait, but it's also a very effective, timely, and chilling reminder of how easily personal freedoms can be stripped away. Recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (R. Pitman)