The cast and crew of the film Latter Days have celebrated the film’s 20th anniversary at a special event held in Fort Lauderdale last night.
Latter Days tackled the love story between a LA party boy, closeted Mormon missionary and the changes they brought to one another’s lives.
Initially released in 2003 at the Philadelphia International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival and OutFest, it quickly gained groundbreaking acclaim from viewers across the U.S. and around the world.
The film was written and directed by C. Jay Cox and starred Steve Sandvoss as the missionary Alex, while Wes Ramsey played his neighbour Christian. the director drew on his own Mormon upbringing as inspiration for the film.
Also appearing in the film was Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Erik Palladino, Mary Kay Place, and Jacqueline Bissett.
Prior to making his directorial debut with Latter Days C. Jay Cox had written the Reece Witherspoon film Sweet Home Alabama and would later write and direct Kiss the Bride.
The special reunion screening featured the director alongside cast members Wes Ramsey and Jacqueline Bissett and producer Kirkland Tibbels.
The screening raised funds for the Back to the Drive 2 campaign, a fundraising initiative that serves to support Stonewall National Museum, Archives, & Library’s Stonewall National Education Project (SNEP).
As books and education remain under threat in a growing number of states and regions of the USA, as LGBTQ+ history, culture and human rights are under attack, SNEP- a decades-old education program- continues to ensure that our nation’s most marginalized students not only have a safe and welcoming school environment, but that LGBTQ+ history and culture will be taught along with all other invaluable subjects.
“Hearing the fearless and iconic Jacqueline Bisset, Wes Ramsey, C. Jay Cox and Kirkland Tibbels reminisce about the pride, resolve and backlash they faced in making this film 2 decades ago— a film that breaks down barriers and attacks stigmas while celebrating diversity, bravery and all shades of love— was an inspired reminder that the LGBTQ+ community has come far but our quest for equality is far from over,” said Stonewall National Museum, Archives & Library’s Executive Director Robert Kesten.
