COUNTERCULTURE "Promise of Life" Atlanta AIDS Video Focuses on Outliving Expectations by Johnny Walsh On Tuesday evening, July 25, 1989, Picasso's Performance Cafe in Dccatur, was the sccnc for the first viewing of a new Atlanta video production about AIDS. Produced by SAME (Southeastern Arts, Media & Education Project, Inc.) and funded in part by a $2,700 grant from Hcartstrings/DIFFA (The Design and Interior Furnishing Foundation for AIDS), the video is a compilation o f sep­ arate interviews with five people with AIDS: George Kish, Stcbbo x v ■ ■ tf ■ -* H r i <itf Hill, Kurt Rahn, Terry Thomas and John Kappcrs. Entitled, T nikki a. marmo "Promise o f Life," the focus of the video is the experience of living elliepllie elimon with AIDS. Each of the interviewees speaks to that theme by relat­ 233-4633 ing how they cope with the changes an AIDS diagnosis has brought to their life, and each gives their individual perspective of how to heal oneself. George Kish has been battling AIDS since 1982. Interviewed on the balcony o f his apartment, he tells of his gratitude to the good Lord for his gay sexuality and of his gratitude that A ID S has touched his life. He speaks of the people he has come to know and John Kappers (far left) and his "family of friends" C HARIS books A more the new-found love he has for the gay community. Also, he has enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner in John's new home. 419 Morciand Avenue MC been able, he says, as an outspoken Roman Catholic to address the Atlanta, Ca. 30307 »*-0304 Church's silence about AIDS. He speaks of his family and how Teny Thomas speaks about his faith in God and how that has AIDS has affected his relationship with his three sons. brought him to this point in his life. He says service to others is Stcbbo H ill discusses the losses AIDS has brought to his life. He what keeps him going. He talks about the families o f people with September's Featured Selection was living happily in a big house that he loved, planning for a career AIDS, noting that some families are supportive and some are not. Bittersweet in advertising. Then came AIDS and he lost the house and the He states his belief that they all should be bccausc of how much Lesbian Love Stories of the Old West career seemed to evaporate. He relates that sometimes he wants to they arc needed. isolate. He has found some solace, however, through his art and by Navada Barr The overall tone of this production is both positive and hopeful. through meditation. The subjects emphasize caring for oneself and helping others, John Kappcrs, seated in a rocking chair in the living room o f the preparing for the inevitable losses AIDS brings and continuing to Lesbian & Feminist house he bought after being diagnosed with AIDS, talks about his live as full a life as possible in the face of an uncertain future. Books & More... career and his family o f friends. He is young, attractive, successful There's no "mumbo jumbo" here. The practical value o f their expe­ and he has A ID S. Part of his response to A ID S is to make changes rience, strength and hope is self-evident. Open 7 Day a Week in his life. He has gone back to school to study nursing. He says, Though there were a few minor technical difficulties in the first Little Five Points "It's something I've always wanted to do." edit, this broadcast quality production should find a wide distribu­ Kurt Rahn, through his work with the Atlanta Chapter o f the tion. In light of the limited budget, the production values are National Association o f People with AIDS relates that he has found extraordinary. Executive Producer/Interviewer Rebecca Ranson, new reasons to live. Before AIDS, he could not picture himself as Director Gary Moss, Producer John Williams and Editor Mark Owned an activist or as an administrator in a social service environment Silvcrstcin have produced a video the viewing of which will benefit Today, those roles are natural to him. He also makes the point that many people. By Our People in living with AIDS he believes no one can tell another individual which path is the right one and which one is wrong. Each individu­ For distribution information on 'Promise o f Life" contact the For al must explore for himself and do that which seems comfortable SAME office at 584-2104. Our People and righL Quality eyewear at affordable hi-NRG hits were by women articulating male desire, such as "Scarchin' (I prices has only A Culture Takes Root Gotla Find a Man)" sung by Hazell Dean, a lesbian. one name: Cont’d. from Page 4 Encouraged by the enormous success of gcndcr-bender Boy George and a wave of androgynous techno-poppcrs, a few openly gay male performers homosexuality as long as you make it seem so weird that it doesn't look like reclaimed hi-NRG as a gay expression, including members of Bronski Beat, the chronicle is endorsing the practice.' This presented me with the greatest Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Dead or Alive and Erasure. All had hits. challenge of my career, which was to write the most matter-of-fact treatment Cowley didn’t live long enough to enjoy the success of his stylistic off­ of homosexuality I could muster." spring. He died of AIDS in 1982. By 1980, straight white America had turned its back on disco, and the AIDS became an epidemic just as openly gay people in the arts started to music went back to its urban black and gay male roots. Small gay-owned All others are just copies... get official recognition for their achievements, particularly in theater and record companies, like the local Mcgatone and Moby Dick labels, sprung up film. 2441 Cheshire Br Rd. 636-9727 or 636-9811 to satisfy the audience otherwise abandoned by the music industry. Harvey Fierstcin and his "Torch Song Trilogy" won Tonys for best play The man who defined the San Francisco disco sound, Patrick Cowley, got and best actor. Robert Epstein, a young San Franciscan, won an Oscar for his start by working lights for singer Sylvester, who, unlike the Village his documentary, "The Times of Harvey Milk." Rainer Werner Fassbinder People, always made a point of his gayncss. Sylvester asked the reluctant Green River Trading Co. joined the ranks of celebrated filmmakers with The Marriage of Maria musician to play synthesizer on "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)" and Braun." And Frank Ripploh, another gay German director, challenged the "Dance (Disco Heat)," and the results paid off with a gold album. Quality Cutlery by Sabatier. divisions between comedy and pornography with his critically acclaimed Hand ground & honed, When Sylvester moved to an R&B approach, Cowley went solo, and in "Taxi zum Kto." expertly tempered & balanced '81 released the most influential gay club record for the next few years, for each cutting task. AIDS challenged artists to overcome divisions in the community, "Mcncrgy." Cowley’s style, dubbed hi-NRG, was thought of inAmcrica as gay club music. But in England, hi-NRG was pop. As with disco the first Cont'd on Page 11 Love and Skill A Cekbratioti in ( D i n i n g and Gentle hands... "Such stuff as dreams are A (¿reat tyighboriood made of..." !Deserves Utensils ¡A (jreat (R$staurant Contemporary & Custom designed by Andersson A Ferm. Jeivelry with Character by Great for nonstick surlqpes Laincy Papagcorge 8l microwave cooking. accent on (Hene anir (Habe’s !Piedmont at Monroe ‘Reservations 874-6145 Moonlight on Water Band 18KT iLLI IMiNA ?9s”füiüm£mi avtnu*Tn7t. • at Uinta, fa w/Amethyst Cabochon 1529-D Piedmont Clear Creek Center 875-7617________ M-W 11-6 TH-Sat 11-8 (Acro» from Ansley Mall) %/Southern Voice • August 31,1989.