Victory!

I'm thrilled about Obama's win last night! Not being a citizen I didn't get to vote, but I'm very proud that my sister, who lives in Sweden but who has dual citizenship, did vote for him – in one of the swing states no less.

Empire State turned blue when it was clear Obama had won. I saw it on the TV and outside the window (yes the actual building outside that window, not a reflection from the TV :)) 

As a gay man, I'm especially thrilled about Obama's victory because he lend his support for marriage equality earlier this year and many said this would cost him the re-election. 

Yesterday's election finally showed that being pro-equality in the US is no longer that risky. For the first time citizens of several states voted FOR marriage equality when they got the chance -- both in Maryland, Maine and Washington, while citizens in Minnesota rejected an amendment limiting marriage rights to opposite-sex couples.

On my way home last night on Broadway. 

It is amazing how far we have come in the last few years! I used to say that if the US gay rights movement had just focused on equal rights for gay couples and not insisted that it be called "marriage" we would have had that now -- just by a different name. And then, in a few years, when everyone gotten used to this -- we can work to up the status to call in marriage.

This is exactly what happened in Sweden when "Registered Partnership" was granted 1995, which gave gay couples the same range of protections, responsibilities, and benefits as marriage. Since they still referred to it as marriage and to their partner as husband or wife, everybody got used to gay people being married -- and there were no protests at all when the gender-neural marriage law passed in 2009.

It's just crazy to me that there is still no way for an American to sponsor a foreign-born same-sex partner for a greencard. Thousands of lesbian and gay binational couples are kept apart, torn apart or forced to live in fear of being separated. Being a foreigner in the US, I have myself lived with those fears (and even made a movie in which a gay man from France marries his lesbian girlfriend to be able to stay in New York with his American boyfriend: Between Love & Goodbye).

 

Kyle (Simon Miller) and Marcel (Justin Tensen) not getting married on Marcel's wedding day in "Between Love & Goodbye"

Many other gay people in the US got angry with me though when I suggested that it was more important to worry about the rights than the wording. That equal but different is not equal at all. I still believe that we would have gotten the rights sooner if that had been the focus -- as many people recognize the unfairness of the current laws but, for religious reasons or whatever, can't imagine changing the definition of marriage.

I must say though that I very much admire the fight, of so many, to change people's minds about the definition of the word marriage. Thanks to them, over 50% of the American population now approve of marriage equality.  And the results in this election prove to me that we will get full marriage rights in every sense of the word. It might still take a few more years, but we will get there!

Sandy made me do it!

Sitting at home in my Manhattan apartment waiting for the hurricane. Thanks Sandy for helping me getting back into blogging! So much have happened over the last few months and I feel terrible that I haven't shared in on my blog. But hopefully I will be able to do some recaps in the weeks to come.

Anyway, since Manhattan doesn't seem to have been hit very hard yet (outside my window it mostly looks like a light rain) we can entertain ourselves with reading funny tweets and Facebook posts like this one from my friend Noa:

Good thing I bought those cans of soup. I'd really hate to have to go outside and brave this slight drizzle.

Or we can sigh to the fact that some Evangelical preacher is blaming this hurricane on the gays. Nothing new there right?

On a more positive note the newly opened gay bar around the corner is packed and serving $3 beers. Several of my friends are there already so I will take my chances now and go out for a drink (Sorry mom, but it's literary around the corner, I promise. Not even half a block away). Ti-hi!

Sandy coming to New York. Yes I know, pic is fake. But gorgeous n'est pas?

I'm On-Demand in 100 Million+ homes!

Well my latest film that is!

"Going Down in LA-LA Land" was released Video-On-Demand this week which hopefully means a lot of people all over the country will check it out. 

Some of the numerous cable, satellite, and teleco operators who carry us!

If you don't have VOD through your TV you can find it here on Amazon or Blockbuster. We were supposed to be up on iTunes also already and hopefully will be in a few days. But don't wait! Watch it this weekend and let me know if you agree with THE BAY TIMES when they say that the film is
"the perfect summer entertainment—the right mix of message and mindlessness."  

Also if you like it, please post nice comments on Amazon, IMBb, etc to help us get people's attention!

HBTQ Festival in Göteborg, Sweden

I Göteborg, Sweden there was a HBTQ festival going on last week (If you can't guess the H stands for Homosexual and includes both gay and lesbians, B = Bisexual, T = Transsexual, and the Q stands for Queer and includes all of the above and then some). The festival takes over the entire city and the gay flags are everywhere! 

The major shopping mall in Göteborg. Way gay! The flags were everywhere in the city.

I was invited to be part of the official program sponsored by The Swedish Church. The Church programmed over 20 events during the festival like gay choir singing, and church services, but also a panel about gay films. I was invited by programmer David Oest (thanks David!) to be on the film panel along with Håkon Lui and led by Andrea Östlund (both Swedish film directors).

Andrea Östlund, me and Håkon Lui after the seminar. 

I think it's so exciting that the Church of Sweden is so supportive of gays! One can even get married in the Swedish Church now. 

Gay flags on every row at Domkyrkan (the Main Church) in Göteborg. I attended an organ concert there. 

Such a huge contrast to everything we hear about crazy right-winged Christians in the US and their constant gay-bashing. I believe a true Christian should be Christ-like. People who condemn and spread hate are satan-like. Here is one:  

Oh and in case you missed it, Sweden won the The Eurovision Song Contest last week and the Swedish winning song was played everywhere I went! It's totally stuck in my head right now. Listen to it a few times and you know what I mean! Here's the winner: 

Hollywood opening of "Going Down in LA-LA Land"

The Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard opened with the premiere of Cecil B. DeMille's "King of Kings" on May 18 in 1927.  How wonderful to open my latest film "Going Down in LA-LA Land" -- a film about Hollywood -- exactly 85 years later (on the day!) at this historic Hollywood theater.

With my two wonderful super-supportive stars Matthew Ludwinski and Allison Lane outside the Chinese Theatre.

We were featured on the huge LCD screen outside the theater right there on Hollywood Blvd. So cool!

Thanks so much to everyone  -- including many in the cast and crew -- who showed up to our opening night screening and red carpet premiere party at the Andaz Hotel on Sunset Blvd (The Andaz has its own iconic history having been nicknamed the Riot Hotel in the 60s when it was the home away from home to many hard-partying rock stars, including Jim Morrison who famously dangled from his balcony, and Keith Richards who threw the hotel room TV down from his).

Below are some pics from opening night. For many more, please check out the album on our facebook page: facebook.com/goingdowninlalaland

The post-screening Q&A at the Chinese Theatres. 

I took this picture while up on stage with all the actors who took part of the Q&A. 

Me and Allison with Bryan Singer, director of "The X-men", "Superman" and "The Usual Suspects"

Me with Bruce Vilanch (who plays director Missy Manhandler) and Scott Graffius.

Matthew and Allison with Luca who came all the way from Florence, Italy to attend the opening.

Me with Executive Producer Linda Larson.

Allison with my friend Dr. Karl Wolfe who also sponsored the opening and has his logo on the wall. 

Producers René Veilleux and Donald Lopez with writer David Michael Barrett and myself -- the makers of the upcoming "Over The Rainbow." Can't wait!!

Brent Bailey (Candy's boy toy Dean) with friend. 

Angelina Hong (receptionist Kim) with a friend. 

 Filmmaker JB Ghuman, Jr ("Spork") who is a dear friend was our DJ for the night.  

Me with some of the cast: Matthew Ludwinski, Bruce Vilanch, Mark Cirillo, and Allison Lane. 

"Give me more red carpet!" Matthew did not want the night to end...

Film Premiere in New York!

Wow -- I've been so super-busy that I'm totally ignoring my blog at a time when I have SO much to write about! Well I'm gonna try to catch up. First I must tell you about my NY opening of "Going Down in LA-LA Land". We worked so hard to make opening weekend a very special event and it truly was! Check out the photo album on the film's facebook page for all the pictures from the theater and XL Club opening night, G Lounge on Saturday night, and Boxers on Sunday night.

I'm so grateful to all my friends and complete strangers who showed up to check out the film. I'm so proud of this film and it meant to much to me to have your support! Thank you!

Special thanks to my sister who came all the way from Sweden, my two stars who came in from LA, my assistant Ellis, my photographer Daniele, and my friend Jamie who helped me organize opening night. And thanks to Michael who did red carpet interviews with us (see below). Thanks also to everyone who supported the kickstarter campaign to raise money for the release -- you made it all possible!

Me with my two wonderful, talented, and super-supportive stars Matthew Ludwinski and Allison Lane. 

Not only is he an amazing dentist with gorgeous offices right in Hell's Kitchen -- Dr. Reagan (right) also sponsored my opening and his logo for HMC DENTAL is on the wall behind us.  Need a root canal? Dr. Reagan is your man! 

Matthew with the one and only Randy Jones (the original Village People cowboy) and Jamie "Fruitfly" Ranieri who helped me host and organize opening night.

This lovely older couple came from Long Island to support their friend Allison and told me afterwards that they had been a little nervous about the film but loved it and thought it should be seen by everybody -- not just gay people. I couldn't agree more! 

My sister Kajsa coming all the way from Sweden! So much fun to share this experience with her. 

Thanks Daniele Teodoro for taking the pictures!

Fun night with Alec Mapa!

 I went to see comedian Alec Mapa's very funny and also very touching one-man-show "Baby Daddy" being performed in New York last night. Alec's show centers around the craziness and hilarity that ensued from his and his husband's decision to adopt a 5-year old boy. The show -- highly recommended! Having children -- not sure... "Baby Daddy" kind of makes you wanna have kids and not  at the same time.

Alec and moi after the show. Thanks to Derek Storm for sending me the photo!

I was hanging out with Alec and friends after the show and he is super-nice. Not at all the nasty queen I made him play in his cameo as himself in "Going Down in LA-LA Land". Check out Alec's website for more info on him. And of course make sure to check him out in my movie!