Autry National Center Presents 5th Anniversary Screening Of Brokeback Mountain 12/11

On Saturday, December 11th, 2010 the Autry National Center will present, in association with Focus Features, a 5th anniversary screening of the award-winning landmark film Brokeback Mountain followed by a staged reading of messages, essays, poetry, and music inspired by the film. The event is part of the acclaimed program Out West at the Autry, a series of public events focusing on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) history and culture in the West with gallery talks, film screenings, lectures, performances and other cultural events.

"Brokeback Mountain helped to bring wide attention to important conversations about LGBT issues in modern Western communities," said Autry President and CEO Dan Finley. "This powerful film resonates deeply with the Autry's own strong connection to the history of Western films as well as our mission to share and explore the inspiring stories of all the peoples of the American West."

Independent curator and Out West at the Autry creator Gregory Hinton adapted for the stage selections of the 2007 book Beyond Brokeback: The Impact of a Film, which comprises compelling writing contributed to the website The Ultimate Brokeback Forum. Excerpts of poignant and humorous messages, essays, and poetry- by writers young and old, male and female, gay and straight-will be read after the Brokeback Mountain screening.

Accompanying the reading is the Brokeback-inspired song Meet Me on the Mountain written by composer Shawn Kirchner. Jeffrey Richardson, the Autry's associate curator of Film and Popular Culture will present the film and introduce the reading by himself reading a passage from Beyond Brokeback. Six additional readers include Autry staffers and friends and supporters of Out West at the Autry from its inception.

Brokeback Mountain was produced and released by Focus Features in December 2005. Hinton worked with James Schamus, CEO of Focus Features to create this 5th anniversary commemoration-the only Brokeback Mountain anniversary screening of its kind.

"2010 has been a tough year for members of the gay, lesbian and transgender community with an epidemic of teen suicides, bullying, and disappointing setbacks in such highly charged issues as Don't Ask Don't Tell and equality marriage," said Hinton. "After five years, Brokeback Mountain remains our most eloquent and cathartic outlet. I applaud Focus Features and the Autry for the hospitality they have demonstrated by screening the film and the wisdom it has shown by its ongoing support for Out West at the Autry."

Inspired by the success of the program at the Autry, other institutions throughout the West will be working with Hinton to present Out West events. Details about future Out West programs at the Autry, as well as other institutions, will be announced on December 11th before the screening of Brokeback Mountain.

Out West at the Autry connects to the success of the Autry's recent installation of the iconic shirts worn by stars Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal in the film, as well as the permanent inclusion of the International Gay Rodeo Association's (IGRA) archives into the Autry Library. (Both facilitated by Gregory Hinton.)

This event is free with admission to the Autry and is expected to sell out. Advance reservations are recommended. For more information the public may call 323-667-2000, x252 or visit TheAutry.org.

About Out West at the Autry:

Out West at the Autry is a series of public programs that explores the contributions of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community to Western American history by bringing together scholars, authors, artists, politicians, musicians, and others for gallery discussions, performances and screenings. Conceived by independent curator Gregory Hinton in 2009, Out West at the Autry was inspired by the Autry's installation of the iconic shirts worn by Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal in the film Brokeback Mountain, on loan from collector Tom Gregory, as well as the permanent inclusion of the International Gay Rodeo Association (IGRA) archives into the Autry library (both facilitated by Hinton). Beginning in 2011, the Autry will present four public Out West at Autry events and the series will travel to other western institutions.

Out West at the Autry is made possible through the generous support of Tom Gregory, HBO, the Gill Foundation, and the Small Change Foundation, in association with the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), and the Courage Campaign.

Autry National Center:

The Autry National Center, formed in 2003 by the merger of the Autry Museum of Western Heritage with the Southwest Museum of the American Indian and the Women of the West Museum, is an intercultural history center dedicated to exploring and sharing the stories, experiences, and perceptions of the diverse peoples of the American West. Located in Griffith Park, the Autry's collection of over 500,000 pieces of art and artifacts, which includes the collection of the Southwest Museum of the American Indian, is one of the largest and most significant in the United States. The Autry Institute includes two research libraries: the Braun Research Library and the Autry Library. Exhibitions, public programs, K-12 educational services, and publications are designed to examine critical issues of society, offering insights into solutions and the contemporary human condition through the Western historical experience.

Weekday hours of operation for the Autry in Griffith Park location are Tuesday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Autry Store's weekday hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and the Golden Spur Cafe is open Tuesday through Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday hours for the museum and the Autry Store are 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The museum, the Autry Store, and the cafe are closed on Mondays. The libraries are open to researchers by appointment.

Museum admission is $9 for adults, $5 for students and seniors 60+, $3 for children 3-12, and free for Autry members, veterans, and children 2 and under. Admission is free on the second Tuesday of every month. For more information visit www.theAutry.org.

 

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