Outfest 2012: “Keep the Lights On” wins outstanding US Dramatic feature and screenwriting prizes

The drama Keep the Lights On was a big winner yesterday at Outfest taking the Grand Jury prizes for outstanding US drama and outstanding screenplay.

The film, directed by Ira Sachs and written by Sachs and Mauricio Zacharias, chronicles one couple’s emotionally and sexually charged journey through love and addiction.

‘This film resonated with us for its confidence, complexity, and emotional intelligence,’ the feature film jury stated.

I missed the boat on this one. I was initially into it then about two-thirds in, it started to get annoying because I had no idea why these two people were still trying to make a go of the their relationship.

After the film, I figured I could commiserate with others but most people I talked to thought it was just great.

So, what do I know?

Then of course it wins two Grand Jury awards just to reinforce how little I know about artsy movies like this.

Sachs had this statement read at the awards ceremony yesterday when the film won the US dramatic feature prize: “This is a great honor and means an enormous amount to me personally and as a filmmaker to be recognized in this way by the jury at Outfest. What was clear to me when I was at the festival  is that there is in fact a new new queer cinema and I’m proud to be one of a group of the extremely talented filmmakers who are telling our stories and making visible to the world what it’s like to be queer today. I also hope that this recognition will encourage people to go see the film when it opens in cinemas on Sept. 7. If we don’t actually go to the movies there certainly won’t be a new new queer cinema. Keep the Lights on is a very personal film but it’s also a call to arms to our community to talk openly about how we live our lives. The relationship in the center of the film is one that is torn apart by secrets. Many of us discovered our sexuality in darkness and we trained ourselves vigilantly to be silent about our most personal behavior. When drugs become a part of the equation, the hiding becomes only that much more intense. My hope is that this film and now this recognition from Outfest will encourage audiences to talk about our lives with each other and as individuals, we continue to walk out of the closet so we can structure ourselves out of fear and out of shame and to live our lives more honestly, more transparently and with all the lights on.”