Poster Boy
Encyclopedia
Poster Boy is a 2004
gay
-themed drama film
. It toured the gay and lesbian film festival
circuit beginning in 2004 before a limited theatrical release in 2006
.
in Staten Island, New York.
from North Carolina
. Senator Kray (Michael Lerner) has gained a national reputation in part by attacking homosexuality
. Unknown to the senator, Henry is gay.
The senator plans to kick off his re-election campaign at a luncheon at Henry's college campus and he expects Henry to deliver his introduction. Henry's sexuality is something of an open secret around campus, to the extent that the campus gay activist group has created a chart of his sexual partners. The night before Senator Kray is scheduled to arrive, Henry hooks up with Anthony (Jack Noseworthy), a former ACT UP activist who's drifted away from activism.
The day of the speech, Anthony is approached by a campus activist who wants to enlist his help in outing
Henry. Anthony and his friend Izzie (Valerie Geffner) have an argument about it and Izzie (who is HIV
-positive) storms off. She's hit by the limousine transporting the senator and his wife Eunice (Karen Allen
). The senator's party brings her along with them and Eunice takes a shine to her. She gives Izzie a suit and invites her along for the luncheon.
Henry invites Anthony as well, insisting that he sit at the dais with him. Henry introduces his father, who begins his speech. As the speech continues, Henry stands up, pulls Anthony to his feet and kisses him in full view of the national media, outing himself before the activists have the chance to. In the firestorm of controversy, the Senator and his team decide to spin
the event by stressing that the Senator still loves his gay son. Meanwhile, one of the campus activists congratulates Anthony for outing Henry, and even though Henry decided to "out" himself, the bond of trust that had started to form between him and Anthony shatters.
The film closes with Henry summarizing the aftermath. He and Anthony don't see each other. Izzie has died of AIDS
. The Senator won re-election despite, or perhaps because of, the controversy.
2004 in film
The year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol...
gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
-themed drama film
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
. It toured the gay and lesbian film festival
Film festival
A film festival is an organised, extended presentation of films in one or more movie theaters or screening venues, usually in a single locality. More and more often film festivals show part of their films to the public by adding outdoor movie screenings...
circuit beginning in 2004 before a limited theatrical release in 2006
2006 in film
- Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2006...
.
Production
Some scenes were shot on campus at Wagner CollegeWagner College
Wagner College is a private, co-educational, national liberal arts college with an enrollment of approximately 2,400 total students located atop Grymes Hill in New York City's borough of Staten Island...
in Staten Island, New York.
Plot summary
The film opens with Henry Kray (Matt Newton) being interviewed by a reporter about the events about to unfold on-screen. Henry is the son of a powerful and conservative SenatorUnited States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. Senator Kray (Michael Lerner) has gained a national reputation in part by attacking homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
. Unknown to the senator, Henry is gay.
The senator plans to kick off his re-election campaign at a luncheon at Henry's college campus and he expects Henry to deliver his introduction. Henry's sexuality is something of an open secret around campus, to the extent that the campus gay activist group has created a chart of his sexual partners. The night before Senator Kray is scheduled to arrive, Henry hooks up with Anthony (Jack Noseworthy), a former ACT UP activist who's drifted away from activism.
The day of the speech, Anthony is approached by a campus activist who wants to enlist his help in outing
Outing
Outing is the act of disclosing a gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender person's true sexual orientation or gender identity without that person's consent. Outing gives rise to issues of privacy, choice, hypocrisy, and harm in addition to sparking debate on what constitutes common good in efforts...
Henry. Anthony and his friend Izzie (Valerie Geffner) have an argument about it and Izzie (who is HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
-positive) storms off. She's hit by the limousine transporting the senator and his wife Eunice (Karen Allen
Karen Allen
Karen Jane Allen is an American actress best known for her role as Marion Ravenwood in Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull...
). The senator's party brings her along with them and Eunice takes a shine to her. She gives Izzie a suit and invites her along for the luncheon.
Henry invites Anthony as well, insisting that he sit at the dais with him. Henry introduces his father, who begins his speech. As the speech continues, Henry stands up, pulls Anthony to his feet and kisses him in full view of the national media, outing himself before the activists have the chance to. In the firestorm of controversy, the Senator and his team decide to spin
Spin (public relations)
In public relations, spin is a form of propaganda, achieved through providing an interpretation of an event or campaign to persuade public opinion in favor or against a certain organization or public figure...
the event by stressing that the Senator still loves his gay son. Meanwhile, one of the campus activists congratulates Anthony for outing Henry, and even though Henry decided to "out" himself, the bond of trust that had started to form between him and Anthony shatters.
The film closes with Henry summarizing the aftermath. He and Anthony don't see each other. Izzie has died of AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
. The Senator won re-election despite, or perhaps because of, the controversy.
Cast
- Karen AllenKaren AllenKaren Jane Allen is an American actress best known for her role as Marion Ravenwood in Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull...
as Eunice Kray - Michael LernerMichael Lerner (actor)-Life and career:Lerner was born in Brooklyn, New York of Romanian Jewish descent, the son of Blanche and George Lerner, who was a fisherman and antiques dealer. He was raised in Bensonhurst and Red Hook. His brother, Ken Lerner, is also an actor...
as Jack Kray - Matt NewtonMatt NewtonMatthew Collins "Matt" Newton is an American actor.-Early life:Born in New Haven, Connecticut, Matt Newton was raised in Guilford, Connecticut. He is of English descent and began performing musicals and plays at local theaters while in high school...
as Henry Kray - Jack Noseworthy as Anthony
- Valerie Geffner as Izzie
- Ian Reed Kesler as Skip Franklin
- Austin Lysy as Parker
Awards and nominations
- OutfestOutfestOutfest is an LGBT-oriented film showcase and festival in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1982 as the "Gay and Lesbian Media Festival and Conference", the name was changed to Outfest in 1994.-Programs:...
Grand Jury Award Best Screenwriting - Ryan Shiraki and Lecia Rosenthal (winner) - Locarno International Film FestivalLocarno International Film FestivalThe Film Festival Locarno is an international film festival held annually in the city of Locarno, Switzerland since 1946. After Cannes and Venice and together with Karlovy Vary, Locarno is the Film Festival with the longest history...
Golden Leopard - Zak Tucker (nominated)