Faith Trimel's film "Family" (USA 2008, 109 minutes) spends its first critical minutes setting up the set of friends who are chosen family for one another. We meet several couples and singles, who have issues surrounding coming out. One couple is interrupted in lovemaking by the ultimate "in" lesbian nightmare-Mom comes to the door! Thank goodness for chain locks!
This chosen family is a pantheon of heroic African-American women. Idrice Kemp (Charyse Monet) is a pro WMBA (women's basketball) player; Felicia Brixworth (filmmaker Trimel) is an aspiring actress; Tonya Mimms (Fadhia Carmelle Marcelin) has just asked her lover, Shelly Amato (Nikki Klecha), to marry her, when her sister, Joyce (Vanessa Paul), leaves her husband and moves in; and Melanie Gramble (Leslie Gilliam) has a child with her ex, who has gone back to her boyfriend. Monifa Josephs (Mahogany Ratcliffe) owns her own salon, and gets a surprise of her own when she comes out to her parents. Sabrina Marcet (Tarina Vershawn) has got challenges with her faith and a patient who comes on to her. We have a realistic look at a cross section of womanhood. These women make a pact to come out and change their lives forever.
There are setbacks, and life happens, but this film takes an honest look at the lives of real women, strong women, who need a different kind of strength to come out. It isn't always comfortable, but the truth will set you free.
QFest (www.phillycinema.org) offers the Philadelphia premiere screenings of "Family" on July 15 at 5 p.m. and 19 at 6:45 p.m. at the Ritz East, 125 South Second Street, in Theater Two.
