Out on the town

By Lisa Rosen

*(Excerpt from the, Los Angeles Times)

In the mainstream

In a sign of the slowly but surely changing times, "Save Me" has additional crowd appeal in that two of its leads, Allen and Gant, are openly gay - still a relative rarity for Hollywood actors. (They are also two of the film's producers.) For Gant, who played professor Ben Bruckner in the Showtime series "Queer as Folk<" Outfest holds a special significance. For years, while out to those in his private life, he had been professionally closeted. During that time, "There was a subconscious fear that kept me apart from Outfest," Gant says. Then in 2002, while onstage at the Ford Amphitheatre for the closing night gala, Gant came out publicly to the crowd.

"It was really powerful. I got a standing ovation. But it wasn't really so much about me as it was representative of that moment of any individual finding the courage to step into their truth," he says. "So Outfest from that moment has taken on a huge, vital place in my mind and heart."

As much as Gant wants the film to reach a broad audience, "there's nothing really as satisfying as showing it to our fellows; it's almost like family night," the actor says about opening the festival Adds Allen: When you're a filmmaker or an actor, or anyone who's working in entertainment who's out and wants to see our stories get told, it's so cool to be a part of Outfest - to see what everyone's doing and encourage each other."

Allen credits his longtime Outfest attendance with inspiring him to make films like "Save Me" in the first place. For Outfest doesn't present only what's being produced, it produces filmmakers.