The Legacy Project
Parting Glances
Nick is infected with AIDS. Michael loves Nick, but he’s married to Robert. Nick is dying. Robert takes an assignment in Africa to let Michael and Nick work it out. Parting Glances, a film by director Bill Sherwood, is a tribute to how three gay men care for each other during the onset of the AIDS epidemic in the early 1980’s, New York City.
I had the opportunity to see this film at Lincoln Center due to the efforts of The Legacy Project, launched by OUTFEST and in partnership with UCLA Film & Television Archive. The project is dedicated to preserving original prints of Queer films before they fade out of film history. Silence equals death: it’s crucial to keep the stories of the lost members of our community alive.
Parting Glances is about death. But is also is about how the Queer community, in the worse times, stays unified. It is a film about sacrifice and selflessness. Gay men are often demeaned by stereotypes of being promiscuous and self-involved; Parting Glances demonstrates three strong male characters. Nick, Michael, and Robert extend themselves beyond their comfort boundaries. They extend themselves because they want to do the right thing. As Nick dies of AIDS, he still is upbeat and has witty banter with his friends. Robert, the outsider of the Nick and Michael relationship, selflessly lets go of his husband, knowing his is working out a relationship with Nick. Michael, torn between two loves, communicates honestly with both of his partners. The love the three of these men share is a triumph.
The Legacy Project reminds us that the Queer community needs to foster a collective consciousness. To create an understanding of Queer history, identity, and culture Queer people need to preserve where we came from, and by doing so, remember who we are. Despite the numerous sinister portrayals of gay men, Parting Glances is about compassion: a story worth worth preserving. Bill Sherwood, the director, died of AIDS in his forties. For all the misfortunes the Queer community has endured, the Legacy Project is an opportunity to allow the next generation of filmmakers to learn from our struggles and victories.
– T. Nova
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