and their heartwarming
At this point, I can’t even pretend to have any journalistic objectivity remaining when it comes to Gary Lane and Larry Lane and their very special movie
Hollywood to Dollywoodwhich screened at Outfest on Saturday.
I’m very fond of these dynamic gay twins from North Carolina with big dreams who left their small hometown ten years ago to make it in Hollywood.
While they have been first-place winners on both Fear Factor andWinter Wipeout, they are poised to make their biggest splash with their heartwarming documentary which had some of the near-capacity Outfest audience in tears.
Directed by John Lavin, the film chronicles their cross-country trip to try and deliver a movie script they have written for their idol Dolly Parton when she is making appearances at Dollywood during the theme park’s 25th anniversary weekend.
In a rented RV they name Jolene, the Lanes and Gary’s boyfriendMike Bowen embark on a road trip that is also a journey of self-discovery. The twins open up about their fear of being rejected by their family – especially their mom – once the movie is out because through the film, they are very publicly coming out to everyone they know back home in North Carolina.
But it is clear that they have reached a point in their lives where they no longer want to suppress any part of themselves which has included not bringing boyfriends home for the holidays and not being openly gay during their visits back home.
“We are praying they will come around but right now it’s about us,” Larry said during the Q&A that followed the screening. [Most of the audience stayed for the Q&A which is a rarity at Outfest].
Added Gary: “You care about your parents [but] there’s going to come points where there’s lines drawn in the sand.”
But the pain is clear. When talking about Mike Bowen, his boyfriend of five years who has never met his family, Gary got choked up during the Q&A: “It’s hard
Their mother knows about the film and Larry shared with the crowd that during a recent visit home to help care for their ailing father, she said: “Whatever happens, just don’t stop talking to me.”
Whether the film will bring forth full family acceptance remains to be seen. But because Gary and Larry have been willing to share their story so honestly, they are sure to help so many people with similar struggles.
Ironically, the twins initially did not want to discuss their sexuality in the movie. Instead they wanted it to focus on their script and getting it to Dolly. But director Lavin insisted that this was the real heart of the movie which was made from 43 hours of footage taken.
“We had a few come to Jesus moments over what was staying in,” Lavin told the crowd.
In the end, Larry said, “It gave us a confidence to tell our story. … We were hiding for so long.”
The twins, the director and Bowen were joined at the screening by a Dolly Parton look-alike as well as actors Chad Allen and Leslie Jordan who both appear in the first section of the movie.
When the credits rolled, I was shocked to see my name included among the special thanks! Later in the lobby, I expressed my surprise and the boys pointed out that I’d been supportive of them since they went public with plans for the film.
That much is true. I was sold before I even saw a frame of Hollywood to Dollywood because of the earnestness and enthusiasm of Gary and Larry [I'm pictured with them, below, at Friday night's pre-screening party]. There’s just something about these guys that touches my heart and I think a lot of people across the country are going to feel the same way after seeing their very special movie.
