Out in the Silence

Out in the Silence is a 2009 documentary film directed by Joe Wilson and Dean Hamer. It chronicles the chain of events that occur when the severe bullying of a gay teenager draws Wilson and his partner back to the conservative rural community of Oil City, Pennsylvania, where their own same-sex wedding announcement had previously ignited a controversy. The film focuses on the widely varying, emotional reactions of the town's residents including the teenager and his mother, the head of the local chapter of the American Family Association, and an evangelical pastor and his wife.

Out in the Silence
Directed by	Joe Wilson and Dean Hamer
Produced by	Joe Wilson and Dean Hamer
Edited by	Nels Bangerter
Music by	Namoli Brennet, Joel Douek
Distributed by	Garden Thieves
Release date	August 5, 2009 (2009-08-05) (Rhode Island)
Running time	65 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$245,000

Community engagement campaign

The Out in the Silence Campaign for Fairness and Equality in Rural and Small Town America uses the film as a tool to raise the visibility of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people and promote dialogue and bridge building.^[1] The campaign has held over 500 grassroots screenings in town halls, schools, churches, and community centers, many in isolated areas that had not previously experienced any openly LGBT events. The Center for Social Media and the BRITDOC Foundation have highlighted the campaign as an example of using film for social change.

In 2011, the Campaign initiated the Out in the Silence Youth Activism Award to highlight the work of young people on LGBT inclusion and equality. In 2022, Frameline Film Festival established the Out in the SIlence award to recognize outstanding film projects that highlight brave acts of LGBTQ+ visibility in places where such acts are not common.

Awards and recognition

Festival awards and recognition

• Premiere, Human Rights Watch International Film Festival, Lincoln Center, NYC^[2]
• Winner, Special Jury Prize for Bravery in Storytelling, Nashville Film Festival^[3]
• Winner, Special Jury Prize for Social Significance, South Dakota Film Festival^[4]
• Winner, Alternative Spirit Award, Rhode Island International Film Festival^[5]
• Winner, Audience Award, Hardacre Film and Cinema Festival^[6]
• Winner, Best Documentary, Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival ^[7]
• Winner, Best Documentary, Long Island Gay and Lesbian Film Festival^[8]
• Winner, Best Documentary, Out Takes New Zealand Gay Lesbian Film Festival^[9]
• Winner, Rosebud Award, Rosebud Film Festival^{[citation needed]}
• Featured presentation, Tribeca Documentary Series ^[10]

Television broadcast and awards

• Broadcast premiere, PBS, 2010^[11]
• Encore broadcasts, PBS World, 2010; PBS, 2011^[12]
• America Reframed broadcast, PBS World, 2015^[13]
• Emmy Award, Outstanding Achievement in Documentary, National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Mid-Atlantic Chapter^[14]