Petrelis Files

Ugandan LA Consul's New Christian
Film Opens January 29

Matthew Crouch, a Christian film producer based in Hollywood who is also an honorary consul for the homo-hating government of Uganda, has new movie soon hitting theaters. It's called "Preacher's Kid," which was made by Crouch's Gener8Xion production company, and is being distributed by a subsidiary of Warner Brothers.

Last month, executives and publicists at Warner Brothers were quite nervous when Robert Downey, Jr., the star of the new "Sherlock Holmes" movie, gave interviews and spoke about the homo-eroticism on display in the movie. Studio bigwigs were hoping Downey's comments would fade into the woodwork, and the execs went silent about any gay-themes in "Sherlock Holmes."

The Warner Premiere subsidiary is listed as the theatrical distributor of "Preacher's Kid," but the specialty division's web site contains absolutely no details on the soon-to-be released movie. Does Warner Premiere not have, um, faith in "Preacher's Kid"? Why is the film not being promoted in anyway on their site?

On Friday the "Preacher's Kid" blog announced where the film will open on January 29, in limited release across the country. I think informational pickets in any of the 13 USA cities where it will play in 27 theaters would be a great way to express solidarity with Ugandan gays, generate blogosphere and mainstream media coverage, and send a message to the State Department that Americans want Uganda to respect the human rights of its gay citizens. Unfortunately, the film will not be playing in the San Francisco or Bay Area, otherwise I'd organize picket line in my region.

Wanna keep on the situation on the ground in Kampala? The best web site, bar none, for background and the latest news on gay Ugandans and the hateful bill, is BoxTurtleBulletin. Click here to read the site's extensive coverage.

Jim Burroway at BoxTurtleBulletin called attention to statements from the Anti-Homosexuality Bill's author, refusing to withdraw his proposed legislation. Jim linked to an Associated Press story from yesterday, which reported the bill will be debated in parliament in either February or March.

If gays and human rights advocates decide to mount visibility actions at the end of January when "Preacher's Kid" plays in American theaters, they could do much good to keep the pressure on our federal government to take stronger actions to stop the bill. Uganda's honorary consul in Hollywood, Matthew Crouch, should feel some pressure when his new movie opens later this month.