It was early afternoon on Friday, May 23rd 2014. I walked into Tiff Bell Lightbox, knots in my stomach, my eyes still welling with tears. “Just take a deep breath,” I kept telling myself. “You’ll be fine.” Up the escalator I rode, around the corner, and into the lavish Luma lounge. I approached the table, and as soon as I saw Dennis and Judy Shepard, I began to cry. No amount of professionalism or attempt at stoicism could mask the impact of their son’s story, told beautifully by his childhood friend Michele Josue, in Matt Shepard is a Friend of Mine. The moving documentary – holding strong with 100% on Rotten Tomatoes – is currently playing at Toronto’s Carlton Cinema through until March 5th.
By this point, many are familiar with the tragic death of 21-year old Matthew Shepard. A Political Science student at the University of Wyoming, Matt was brutally...
By this point, many are familiar with the tragic death of 21-year old Matthew Shepard. A Political Science student at the University of Wyoming, Matt was brutally...
- 2/25/2015
- by Ariel Fisher
- SoundOnSight
Far Away So Close: Josue Pays Personal Homage to Memory of Murdered Friend
His name now synonymous with progressive social policy, Matthew Shepard, the young gay man murdered in 1998, would come to represent a generation of bullied, battered and butchered Lgbt American youths. At last, he receives a moving, often devastatingly sorrowful homage in Matt Shepard is a Friend of Mine, a documentary from his close friend and first time filmmaker Michele Josue. There have been other significant filmed documents attempting to grapple with his horrific demise, most notably the 2002 television film adaptation of Moises Kaufman’s play The Laramie Project, which featured a star studded cast. Now, nearing seventeen years since his death, Josue finally was able to assemble a more personal ode to Shepard, something that was initially discouraged by Shepard’s mother. The only trouble is, though often meaningful and loving, it’s a document that seems unnecessary,...
His name now synonymous with progressive social policy, Matthew Shepard, the young gay man murdered in 1998, would come to represent a generation of bullied, battered and butchered Lgbt American youths. At last, he receives a moving, often devastatingly sorrowful homage in Matt Shepard is a Friend of Mine, a documentary from his close friend and first time filmmaker Michele Josue. There have been other significant filmed documents attempting to grapple with his horrific demise, most notably the 2002 television film adaptation of Moises Kaufman’s play The Laramie Project, which featured a star studded cast. Now, nearing seventeen years since his death, Josue finally was able to assemble a more personal ode to Shepard, something that was initially discouraged by Shepard’s mother. The only trouble is, though often meaningful and loving, it’s a document that seems unnecessary,...
- 2/16/2015
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Chicago – In 1998, the murder of Matthew Shepard led to an overview of the hate crimes in America, especially the type of assault crimes perpetuated against the gay community. In essence, Shepard became a martyr and a symbol for something much larger. An old high school classmate remembers his legacy for this, and for just being a soul buddy, in “Matt Shepard is a Friend of Mine.”
Rating: 4.5/5.0
The timing of the film’s release comes as the State of Alabama is determined to deny the rights of marriage to gay people despite an opposing court order. This also comes on the heels of the racially combustible incidents in Ferguson, Cleveland and New York City. It is a reminder that there are human beings behind the unjustly murdered, with full lives and family/friends who desperately miss them. While the world knows Matthew Shepard as a victim of a hate crime,...
Rating: 4.5/5.0
The timing of the film’s release comes as the State of Alabama is determined to deny the rights of marriage to gay people despite an opposing court order. This also comes on the heels of the racially combustible incidents in Ferguson, Cleveland and New York City. It is a reminder that there are human beings behind the unjustly murdered, with full lives and family/friends who desperately miss them. While the world knows Matthew Shepard as a victim of a hate crime,...
- 2/14/2015
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
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