THE PRIDE OF INDIANA doc-in-progress
"I never expected to see this in a small Indiana town"
Synopsis
Welcome to Spencer — the smallest town in America with a dedicated Pride Center, where LGBTQ+ volunteers and allies have come together to build a safe and thriving community center for everyone — and along the way, are helping to revitalize the town.
It didn't happen overnight. Was there pushback? Of course. How did they manage to win over so many hearts and minds in this conservative rural community? That's to be revealed in the final film! (Hint: it's replicable, and that's the point — other communities can do this too.)
At a time when the country seems more divided than ever, this is an uplifting story from the heartland that shows how Americans can live and work together to make their town better.
It didn't happen overnight. Was there pushback? Of course. How did they manage to win over so many hearts and minds in this conservative rural community? That's to be revealed in the final film! (Hint: it's replicable, and that's the point — other communities can do this too.)
At a time when the country seems more divided than ever, this is an uplifting story from the heartland that shows how Americans can live and work together to make their town better.
Why this film?
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"I am grateful for this opportunity to get much broader recognition of Spencer Pride and its work. I hope it will result in better awareness, understanding, and allyship."
- Jonathan Abrash, President, Spencer Pride " This is so timely and important given the polarized world we live in. It will debunk a lot of stereotypes about rural communities.”
- Jeffrey Wolin, photographer / educator, Chicago, IL "At a time when culture wars dominate the news, Spencer Pride is fostering unity in one of the nation’s most conservative states."
- Dropbox Customer Stories, Chicago, IL |
"This makes me feel hopeful that there are actually good people out there in the world, in towns big or small, doing good for their communities."
- Meg Wenning, digital strategist, Louisville, KY "Will definitely challenge people's perceptions about small rural communities."
- Novotny Lawrence, Director, Black Film Center & Archive, IU "With the current political and societal environment, we need celebratory stories like this to sustain and recharge."
- Jim Fielding, Author, All Pride, No Ego, Atlanta, GA |
The word is already out:
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Click the images to read more
Distribution & Impact
Making the film is just the beginning....
Making the film is just the beginning....
- Theatrical premiere (at the historic Tivoli Theatre in Spencer)
- Film festivals (focus: documentaries, rural regions, and LGBTQ+ festivals)
- Community Engagement: Events at schools, conferences and other orgs
- Public Television
- Global streaming platforms
- Study guides for teachers and community partners
- Permanent exhibit at the Spencer Pride CommUnity Center
Filmmakers
Mitch Teplitsky (Director-Producer)
Mitch is a documentary director/producer, Fulbright Specialist, and marketing pro who tells stories that bridge cultures from the Andes to Indiana. His films have screened on PBS and at film festivals, universities and community venues worldwide. Mitch also coaches other filmmakers, artists and non-profits on how to effectively market their work and make a difference. He was the first marketing director for Morgenstern’s Books in Bloomington and the Film Society of Lincoln Center. He lived in New York City most of his life before making films in Peru, where he met his wife Doris, a Quechua language and culture educator. They moved to Bloomington in 2017.
Charles Pearce (Creative Director)
Charles is a content producer, marketer, digital artist, and animation producer raised in Bloomington, IN. He worked in Chicago and Austin for a decade producing award-winning work before returning to his hometown in 2022. He is an AmeriCorps volunteer alumnus, founder of the Bloomington Motion Artists Group, and committee member for Constellation Stage & Screen.
And a small but mighty Indiana-based team:
- Additional camera: Steve Sobiech • Lex Barrett • Arianne Kelley • Casey Shively
- Co-producer & academic advisor: Lessie Frazier (professor of American Studies & Gender Studies at Indiana U)
- Archival researcher: G Angel, doctoral student in Gender Studies, Indiana U.
- Owen County Historian: Tony Neff
- Executive Producers: Samantha Eads, Peter Gould, Michael Schaefer
- Fiscal Sponsor: Center for Independent Documentary
Partnerships (partial list)
- Center for Independent Documentary
- Hoodox.tv (Netflix for indiana documentaries)
- Indiana Public Media
- IU Center for Rural Engagement
- IU Dept of Gender Studies
- IU Media School
- IU College of Arts and Sciences, Office of Diversity and Inclusion
- Kinsey Institute at Indiana University
- Owen County Chamber of Commerce
- Owen County Historical Society
- Spencer Pride CommUnity Center
How you can help