The Year of Paper
Thursday, February 14 at 7:30pm
The fourth season of Frameline at the Center continues on Valentine's Day with the marriage equality documentary The Year of Paper. Film courtesy of Frameline Distribution.
When officials began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples in 2004, this country went to war over a word. How different is a “gay marriage” from a heterosexual one?
The Year of Paper chronicles the newlywed year of three couples -lesbian, heterosexual and gay- exploring why they got married and how saying “I Do” has changed their relationships. Although each newlywed year takes a different path, these couples deal with similar issues. Family acceptance of their relationship, finances, resolving conflict and starting a family of their own are among the experiences they share. In exploring their everyday lives, we see the human faces behind this contentious issue.
While The Year of Paper focuses on these three couples and their experiences, it also follows the firestorm of debate that surrounds the very idea of marriage for same-sex couples. Historians, activists, politicians, sociologists and clergy weigh in on the debate, examining the history of the institution and whether it should evolve to include same-sex couples.
The traditional first year anniversary gift is paper and it’s an appropriate symbol of the legal struggle two of the three couples endure as the validity of their marriage licenses is questioned. As we face a future in which half of the states have constitutional amendments that ban same-sex marriage, we ultimately ask, is the life-long committed relationship of two women, or two men, so different from that of a man and a woman, that one word cannot describe it for them all?
Co-presented by:
Freedom to Marry
Let California Ring
Marriage Equality USA
National Center for Lesbian Rights
Kindly arrive early as seating is limited. Don’t miss this FREE screening of this powerful film and post-film discussion!