Rejection

Stu Maddux directs Trip Harting during Harting's last interview for the documentary "Trip to Hell and Back". - 06/29/08

Trip To Hell and Back just got another rejection from a gay and lesbian Film Festival. This makes three important GAY film festivals that we were in last year with Bob And Jack’s 52-Year Adventure that do not want this latest film. It is very discouraging at the moment the rejection email comes in, but I pretty quickly understand that this latest documentary just isn’t gay enough for them. The main character happens to be gay and the film maker is gay and the topic of Crystal-Meth addiction is one that hits home to the gay community. But, being “gay around the edges” is not good enough. Honestly, I figured it would be this way but because of my relationship with LGBT festivals after my first film, it would have been foolish not to try there first.

We are still in the early submission stages and actually still making important changes to the film. I think this tells me to target the mainstream festivals. The festival that we are premiering at, Rhode Island International Film Festival, has a gay program within it, but preferred to run this film in its mainstream section.