Out of the Past

Synopsis

Out of the Past tells the story of Kelli Peterson's involvement with the founding of a gay-straight alliance at Salt Lake City's East High School in the 1995-1996 school year. It is told in segments which are broken up by the inclusion of historical LGBTQ persons. Voice-overs are used to convey the historical segments, which begin with Michael Wigglesworth. Also featured are the Boston marriage of Sarah Orne Jewett and Annie Adams Fields; Henry Gerber and the founding of the Society for Human Rights; Bayard Rustin's organization of the March on Washington; and Barbara Gittings's activism.

Commentary from historians, as well as theologian Peter J. Gomes, are included in the historical sections to explain how the knowledge of these figures's lives has an effect on the modern understanding of these historical eras. After each historical segment, the story returns to footage with Peterson, including her testimony in front of the school board, interviews including her parents, and footage of the gay-straight alliance members. National media broadcasts regarding the school board's decision to ban all extracurricular clubs are also included.

Background

During the 1995-1996 school year, Kelli Peterson and other students petitioned for the creation of a gay-straight alliance club at East High School. At the end of January 1996, Utah State Senators met in secret to determine how to legally stop the club, a meeting that State Senate President Lane Beattie admitted was illegal. During the meeting, senators viewed a homophobic propaganda video; afterward, they declared they would be willing to lose federal education funds to stop the gay-straight alliance.

Another option considered was passing State Senator Craig Taylor's Senate Bill 246, which he stated would prevent schools from advocating illegal actions. State Senator Charles Stewart suggested simply not accepting federal funding for Utah schools. The ACLU held a meeting of nearly 200 supporters in February, approximately a third of which were students, and provided postage-paid postcards for attendees to use in writing to Beattie and to Utah Governor Mike Leavitt in support of the club.

The Salt Lake City Board of Education held a hearing on February 20, 1996 to discuss their possible recourse to prevent the club without violating the Equal Access Act of 1984. Violating the Act would mean a potential loss of US$120,000,000 for all Utah public schools. The East High School Community Council had voted to allow the club so long as it complied with the same regulations as other clubs, while also adding a parental consent form for all extracurricular clubs as a requirement.

On February 21, Peterson led a rally of approximately 75 people, including the local PFLAG chapter. That evening, the Salt Lake City school board voted to ban all extracurricular clubs in a 4 to 3 vote, to take effect in the 1996–1997 school year. Over 500 people attended the meeting, including members of the Jordan School District Board of Education as well as Marion Snow, chairman of the Utah State Board of Education.

That Friday, February 23, two hundred West High students marched to the Utah State Capitol in protest of the decision, and six hundred students from East High walked out of classes. Lawyers also contradicted Utah Attorney General Jan Graham's advice, arguing that Westside Community Board of Education v. Mergens allowed clubs that would "advocate [...] conduct otherwise inconsistent with the shared values of a civilized social order" to be banned. Orrin Hatch was in the Capitol as the students protested outside, arguing that the Supreme Court of the United States would allow Utah to ban LGBTQ clubs so long as they also banned strictly heterosexual clubs.

Cast

In alphabetical order:

Production

Out of the Past was directed and produced by Jeff Dupre, with Michelle Ferrari and Eliza Byard as co-producers. It was Dupre's first solo project, begun in 1995. Michelle Ferrari wrote the screenplay.

Dupre stated that one of his desires in making the film was to have it included in school curricula. The original script had been intended to be taught in U.S. history classrooms, prior to Peterson and the East High gay-straight alliance becoming a national news story.

Cinematographer Buddy Squires used 16 mm film to record the production. It was edited by George O'Donnell and Toby Shimin. Matthias Gohl composed the music.

Themes

One of the themes expressed in Out of the Past is the equation of the Civil rights movement and the LGBTQ rights movement. It argues that there is a present need to continue advocating for equal rights. The film also advocates the reclamation of historical LGBTQ persons as a means of eliminating stereotypes, as well as acknowledging the importance of understanding history and how that enables the understanding of oneself. It also expresses how knowing LGBTQ history creates a point of reference for LGBTQ youth, and argues that exclusion of LGBTQ figures from history taught in U.S. classrooms has been deliberate.

Release

Out of the Past premiered January 16, 1998 at the Sundance Film Festival. Initial distribution was handled through Zeitgeist Films, and it was later picked up for distribution by Unapix Films for theatrical release.

The documentary screened at FilmFest DC on May 1–2, 1998. It screened at the first Newport International Film Festival on June 3–4, at a special screening at the White House in mid-June, and at the Frameline Film Festival on June 22. It screened at Outfest LA on July 11, and at the Screening Room in Tribeca on July 31. It played at the Red Vic in San Francisco on August 26. The documentary played at the Tower Theatre in Salt Lake, as well as in Los Angeles at the Grande 4-Plex, in September. It screened at the Minneapolis LGBT Film Festival on October 3.

When playing in theaters, it was sometimes paired with the short film Dottie Gets Spanked.

Out of the Past aired on PBS in October 1998, and Dupre requested that viewers make VHS recordings of it to donate to their local schools. The film also aired on Sundance TV in June 1999.

Home media

A-Pix released Out of the Past on VHS in October 1998. Wolfe Video served as a VHS distributor, as did Facets Multi-Media.

Ardustry Home Entertainment released a DVD version on April 26, 2005, with monaural sound. It is presented in full frame. The only reported special feature included is a chapter selection dividing the disc content into ten parts.

Reception

Critical reception

Emanuel Levy, writing for Variety, approved of the method that Dupre used in telling the stories of historical figures interspersed with Peterson's story, calling it "original and evocative." While Levy found the issue at East High and the Utah Legislature's subsequent reaction "interesting," he was more intrigued by the other persons included, stating that they give the film a "greater socio-historical significance." Levy also approved of the archival footage used, as well as the value of the production overall. Cara Mertes, writing for the International Documentary Association, also praised Dupre's interweaving of the narratives, calling the film "enlightening" and noting that it demonstrates the elements needed "to overcome prejudice and hatred."

Jan Stuart, writing for The Advocate, was impressed overall with the juxtaposition of Peterson's story and those of the selected historical persons. Stuart approved of the little-known figures chosen, stating that they underscore the fact that LGBTQ persons have long sought and fought for equal rights. Stuart was impressed with the voice-over cast, and called Linda Hunt's narration "elegant." Stuart also commented that the meeting between Peterson and Gittings seemed "awkward."

Jeff Vice, writing for the Deseret News, rated the film with two stars, stating that the inclusion of the historical figures's stories overshadowed Peterson. Vice also called them "superficial life sketches," and stated that all of the voice acting was "emotionless" with "nondescript narration." In contrast, Robert Julian, reviewing for the Bay Area Reporter, praised Ferrari's script, stating that the stories are presented in a way that engages the viewer. Julian was also impressed with Dupre's direction and how both Dupre and Ferrari kept an "even tone," conveying the stories without "posturing" or turning the documentary into a screed.

Colin Covert, writing for The Minnesota Star Tribune, stated that the documentary felt like "a politically correct history lesson" but also found the method of intertwining the stories to be "engaging." Stephen Holden, writing for The New York Times, said it was "efficiently edited," calling the biographies of historical figures "concise." G. Allen Johnson, writing for the San Francisco Chronicle, on the other hand, commented that the brevity of the sections on the historical persons led to them being perceived as icons rather than people. Johnson stated that those portions disrupted the "pacing and energy" established with the segments involving Peterson. Johnson found those parts "compelling."

Audience reception

At Outfest LA, the screening was filled to capacity, and the audience gave it a standing ovation.

Accolades

Out of the Past was included on the short-list of sixteen documentaries competing for the Grand Jury prize at the 1998 Sundance festival. Though it did not receive that award, the film did receive the Audience Award for Best Documentary. It also received an Honorable Mention from the Outfest LA grand jury for Best Documentary Feature.

In 1999, it also received the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Documentary, and The Advocate included the film in a list of LGBTQ rights videos it considered essential. In 2005, Library Journal labeled the film as a public library core resource.