The Single Mother

It's bragging day on the artistic corner! I know this is something I do well, considering I have the most beautiful and talented children on the planet, but today is not about them. In fact, it's not even about me, my novel or Thomas' novel, but about a wonderful film entitled, The Single Mother. This thought-provoking short is currently touring the festival circuit and was written and directed by a friend of mine from way back, Ryan Logan. While he was much younger than me when we shared the stage in our hometown of Independence, KS, it didn't take much for me to know that this kid had something special. This summer-via facebook-I was able to reconnect with him only to learn that he'd turned into an amazing young man with great artistic vision. So I asked if I could share some of the information on his film in my blog and he agreed.





The plot outline for The Single Mother is listed as the following on its website:

Meet The Single Mother - a big-hearted transvestite reincarnation of June Cleaver, who embarks on a perilous journey to obtain the nuclear family featured in his tattered Home & Garden magazines. With the unfortunate predicament of being unable to conceive himself (but not for lack of trying), he pursues increasingly desperate means to procure a child of his own. He attempts adoption. He strives to become a nanny. He even makes a run at luring hyperactive children out of a park using candy. When anatomy gets in the way of destiny... the oven mitts are off.

Obviously, I've seen the film and I can tell you regardless of the characters intentions it opened up something in me I could never have imagined.
The main character struggles with his dream of wanting a child to raise. What I love about it, is regardless of everything else he goes for it, at all costs. This could be any of us, it could be any of our dreams; rather its wanting a child, to be a published author or to be the CEO of a company. In fact, this week I had a moment like his, in which I awoke feeling like I was right there on the edge of it all. As the rare Omaha thunderstorm awoke me at 1:30 in the morning-clearly calling to the soul of a girl who grew up watching storms roll across Kansas-I felt something new, something changing and knowing that I was at the point I would stop at nothing to obtain it. If you could talk to this character and ask him his feelings when he opened his eyes everyday, I imagine that it would be something like that, well minus the storm. Honestly, the scene in which he is trying to lure the children from the park with candy made me laugh so loud. However, at the same time that is the game I feel like I am playing with literary agents.

The coloring contrast of the film adds to the journey the character takes on his path to his deepest desire. The variety leads us through the story, allowing us to easily be invited into the character's world and leave ours for awhile; which is the ultimate goal of any movie maker. I shared this with Ryan, that I was drawn in by the colors, but I wasn't the only one who felt that way. When the QSaltLake did a spread on the film they said the film was, "A colorful story...filmed with dream sequences that rival the art found in Hedwig and the Angry Inch."

So, as the film tours the circuit this year, I urge you to go see it. Buy yourself a ticket and enjoy this marvelous film. As Ryan says, you may love it or you may hate it, but at least it's only six minutes. It premiered at the Rhode Island Film Festival in August winning the Alternative Spirit Award. You can catch it at the Seattle Lesbian and Gay film festival on October 18th. The film will have its international debut at the Image + Nation in Montreal, Canada, the week of October 22nd through the 31st. And lastly, in Chicago at the Reeling International Film Festival in November. As it is accepted to more(and believe me this incredible film will be) I will keep all of you updated. You can also get more information on Ryan's blog or on the film's IMBD page.

Thank you Ryan for bringing us this lovely film. I hope it continues to stir the hearts of all your viewers out there, the way it did mine.