Gay Immigration Movie Sets Sights On Sundance Film Festival

"Maple Palm," the latest indie feature by guerilla filmmaker, Ralph Torjan, takes on big issues and powerful politicians by adding gay immigration to the same-sex marriage controversy. Questioning the lack of support for same-sex marriage and immigration rights from a first generation immigrant, Maple Palm looks to find support from the Terminator's peers at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival.
Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) September 14, 2005 -- "Maple Palm," is an intense indie feature exposing hardships faced by gay and lesbian Americans in love with foreign same-sex partners, but its filmmaker remains perplexed by the lack of support for California's same-sex marriage bill from first generation immigrant, Governor Schwarzenegger.
Guerilla filmmaker, Ralph Torjan, believes socially relevant films like "Maple Palm" can only exist in the independent arena, and has set his sights on the 2006 Sundance Film Festival as an outlet for his latest film, and the issue of same-sex immigration. The issue currently has the support of many high profile politicians, and the bill, The Uniting American Families Act, was introduced to congress by Representative Jerrold Nadler (D-NY.) The bill hopes to extend immigration rights to lesbian and gay Americans who wish to legally sponsor their foreign born partners.
Torjan admits that the passage of the same-sex marriage bill in California will do little to impact same-sex immigration since immigration falls under federal jurisdiction, but the filmmaker still questions the motives of a foreign born Governor, and feels he should reconsider vetoing the bill once it reaches his desk. Torjan believes the Governor's support would go a long way to helping pass the Uniting American Families Act into law.
"Sure, the odds of getting into Sundance are slim," said Torjan, "but so is changing immigration policy. And that's my ultimate goal for Maple Palm; that it shake people by the shoulders and wake them up to this issue so they'll want to help instigate a change. Everyone's so caught up with same-sex marriage, but what about Americans in love with a same-sex foreigner? Ripping apart two people in love is just wrong. Plain and simple."
from EMediaWire