Freeheld (2007 film)
| Freeheld | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Directed by | Cynthia Wade |
| Produced by |
Vanessa Roth Matthew Syrett Cynthia Wade |
| Starring |
Laurel Hester Stacie Andree |
| Music by | Rob Schwimmer |
| Cinematography | Cynthia Wade |
| Edited by | David Teague |
|
Release date
|
|
|
Running time
|
40 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Freeheld is a 2007 documentary film directed by Cynthia Wade. It chronicles the story of Laurel Hester in her fight against the Ocean County, New Jersey Board of Chosen Freeholders to give her earned pension benefits to her partner, Stacie. On February 24, 2008, it won the Oscar for Best Documentary Short Subject. The documentary also won a Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival in 2007.
Freeheld has played in over 50 festivals Worldwide and has earned 14 festival awards. The film had its US broadcast premiere in June 2008 on Cinemax. A film based on the documentary, starring Ellen Page and Julianne Moore, was released in October 2015.
The film opens at a meeting of the Board of Chosen Freeholders of Ocean County, New Jersey. Ocean County resident and New Jersey police officer Lieutenant Laurel Hester has been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, and expected to live only another year, she wishes to pass on her pension to her domestic partner of five years, Stacie Andree. Although New Jersey counties have the option to extend pension benefits to domestic partners, Ocean County Freeholders will not do this. In protest, the state's LGBT civil rights organization, Garden State Equality, organizes hundreds of people to speak out at each of the Freeholders' meetings. The crowds Garden State Equality organizes get bigger and more vociferous at each meeting.
...
Wikipedia