Reeling 2010: Holding Hands

In 2007, Craig and Shane held hands as they walked down Oxford Street, a part of Sydney, Australia’s gay district. Shouting homophobic slurs, assailants brutally attacked the couple, leaving Craig critically injured. Katherine Wilkinson’s documentary tracks the couple over the year following the violent incident, and the hurdles the couple encounter as they recover physically and emotionally. Almost immediately after being admitted to the hospital, Craig is rejected by his family for being an embarrassment because of his sexuality. On top of that, the pair finds that the police are doing almost nothing to find the man who nearly took Craig’s life. Trying to support them both as Craig goes through surgery after surgery, Shane is stretched to the breaking point. The pressure of it all weighs heavily on their relationship. Seeing Craig’s damaged face on the cover of Sydney’s local LGBTQ newspaper, the community rallies to make the city a safer place for everyone. And, with the support of Shane’s family, Craig and Shane heal and move towards the future together. This film is a touching look at the ripple effect a single hate crime has, and the strength and unity that is reinforced in its aftermath. —Zachary Togami for Reeling Holding Hands Tonnette Stanford & Katherine Wilkinson (Australia, 2010, 65 min.) Reeling: The Chicago Lesbian & Gay International Film Festival, the second oldest film festival of its kind in the US, is presenting 54 programs over 10 days from November 4-13, 2010. Advance sales are available until the day before the show. After that, tickets must be purchased at the theater box office on the day of the screening. Regular Screenings: $10 ($8 members), Matinee Screenings (before 5:00 pm): $8 ($6 members).

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