About Us
The Director: Luane Beck
Recently named a “filmmaker to watch,” by Curve magazine,
Luane Beck was a professional actor for over seventeen years
before turning her creative talents to directing and screenwriting.
Appearing in dozens of productions on stage, television and
film, Beck gained a unique eye for characters and angles. She
burst onto the movie scene in 2004 with her critically acclaimed
film Intentions.
Praised by both audiences and critics, Intentions was
seen worldwide at dozens of prestigious film festivals including
Cinequest and the San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival.
The film is now widely available on DVD. Prior to Intentions,
Beck served as producer/director of Parallel Lives, written
by Kathy Najimy and Mo Gaffney. She also served as writer/director
for River Team, an environmental documentary.
On stage, Beck has directed Sisters, Welcome to the
Moon, Assistant Directed to Amy Glazer for Spinning into
Butter and The American in Me. In addition, Beck
also served as Dramaturge for the premiere of The Music
Lesson.
top of page
The Producer: Kim Clark
Clark is a highly-acclaimed professional speaker whose interactive
topics include "Comfort Zones are Slow Dream Killers".
Her energy and ability to speak to everyone in the audience
individually - no matter where they are in their life - places
her in high demand by churches, schools and conference coordinators.
Clark helps people connect the dots in their lives and guides
them through the obstacle-ridden journey from what we know
to feeling it, resulting in the "head to heart transfer".
Find out how to bring this life-changing experience to your
community: info@godandgaysthemovie.com
As a prolific writer, (have you seen the blog?)
she is currently working on a series of articles on subjects
including fear-based vs. love-based decision making, and walking
side-by-side vs. at each other.
Clark worked as a Line and Associate Producer for nine documentaries,
including award winning Preemies: Fight for Life
and Coast Guard: Survivors airing on the Discovery Channel,
Travel Channel and Discovery Health Channel. Clark wrote, produced,
and directed the documentary Shouting at a Loud Party: The
Contemporary Christian Music Industry, a look at the potential
social change created by Christian-focused music.
top of page
Rev.
Dr. Mel White
The Rev. Dr. Mel White has been a Christian minister, author,
and filmmaker all his adult life. Raised as a evangelical Christian,
taught that homosexuality was a sin, he fought to overcome his
own homosexual orientation for decades in all ways available
to him: prayer, psychotherapy, exorcism, electric shock, marriage
and family. That struggle and his halting, poignant steps to
understand and accept his homosexuality, reconcile it with his
Christian faith, and express his sexuality respectfully and
responsibly, are described in his book Stranger
at the Gate: To Be Gay and Christian in America, published
in 1994. White's new book tells the stories of his experiences
while ghostwriting for the most well-known religious right leaders
and their behind-the-doors strategies involving demonizing gay
people: Religion
Gone Bad: The Hidden Dangers of the Christian Right.
Mel White founded Soulforce
Inc. with his partner, Gary Nixon. Though Soulforce was established
recently, Mel White has been developing his work with soul force
principles for many years.
top of page
.jpg)
Rev.
Deborah L. Johnson
Rev. Deborah L. Johnson
is the founder and president of both The Motivational Institute,
an organizational development consulting firm specializing in
cultural diversity, and Inner
Light Ministries, an outreach ministry dedicated to teaching
the practical application of Universal Spiritual Principles.
A dynamic public speaker, she is known for her ability to inspire
and to bring clarity to complex and emotionally charged issues.
She travels the nation teaching, training, consulting, and facilitating
for groups large and small. She is also the author of the
very popular The
Sacred Yes and Your Deepest Intent are published
by SoundsTrue.
A staunch civil rights activist, Deborah Johnson is the successful
co-plaintiff in a landmark case setting precedence for the inclusion
of sexual orientation in California’s Civil Rights Bill.
She has been a voice for compassion, justice, and reconciliation.
She has worked extensively in the women’s movement, civil
rights movement, and gay and lesbian rights movement. She joins
her mentor, Rev. Dr. Michael
Beckwith from The Secret
holding a vision of Oneness, beyond creed and doctrine, and
strives to heal the sense of separation between those adhering
to conservative and progressive ideologies. A primary focus
has been on coalition building, conflict resolution, public
policy development, and cultural sensitivity awareness.
top of page
Darlene
Bogle
Darlene was a director of an Exodus Ministry
for many years. Paraklete was an out- reach of the Hayward,
CA Foursquare church where she was the assistant pastor. She
traveled nationally for Exodus, teaching and speaking at conferences,
as well as appearing on such shows as Jerry Springer,
Sally Jesse Raphael and CBS' 48 Hours. She appeared
on other nationally televised programs and was interviewed by
the 700 Club. She authored and contributed to 5 books
promoting change from the homosexual lifestyle. In 1992 she
found a Christian woman with whom she had a 12 year relationship,
and was asked to leave all Christian organizations, while renouncing
her ministerial involvement. Her partner passed away from breast
cancer in February 2005.
Darlene's new book A
Christian Lesbian Journey tells her story of ex-gay
recovery and love, fully reconciled. He has blessed her with
a new relationship and she and Becky are actively involved in
their church and in reaching out to the gay community with God's
love and acceptance.
top of page
Mary
Lou Wallner
Mary Lou Wallner lost her lesbian Christian daughter to suicide
in February of 1997. Being raised in a fundamentalist, legalistic
church environment, Mary Lou was taught the untruth that homosexuality
is a sin. Her journey from “tragedy to transformation”
is nothing short of amazing. She and her husband, Bob, are
strong allies for Gays, Lesbians, Bisexual and Transgender people
and are leaders in TEACH
Ministry, To Educate About the Consequences of Homophobia.
They have a sincere desire to see the church accept and welcome
GLBT people just the way God made them. Mary Lou’s book,
The Slow Miracle of Transformation, now in its third
printing details her journey over the past 9 years.
top of page
Valerie
Joi Fiddmont
Valerie Joi’s song delivery is as fluid and focused as her
life. She is a minister extraordinaire and her message of unconditional
love and acceptance is clear, strong and uncompromising. Listening
to her sing, play or direct is an artistic and healing journey
in itself.
Valerie Joi has since gone on to study classical piano and
jazz voice privately and at the collegiate level, while she
has pursued her undergraduate and graduate degrees. In addition,
she has been able to utilize both her skills, singing and playing
the piano with numerous recording and production artists as
a background vocalist, vocal coach, composer, arranger and producer,
and as a member of various mass gospel choirs. Her classical,
jazz and gospel influences are apparent in her CD release Rise
Above and her new release Singing
the Sacred Yes, which accompanies her partner, Rev.
Deborah L. Johnson's, book The Sacred Yes.
top of page
Jason
Stuart
Jason Stuart is one
the countries top openly gay comic’s. Jason is hysterical
in his new theatrically released film, Coffee Date. He
has performed at the Montreal Comedy Festival, Town Hall on
Broadway and to 100,000 at the Millennium March. He is now touring
all the mainstream comedy clubs with his new act, “Looking
For Mr. Right Comedy Show” to sell out crowds across the USA.
As an actor, he has had a recurring role on ”My Wife
& Kids” starring Damon Wayans, playing a gay family therapist.
Jason has been seen all over TV on “Fat Actress”, “House”,
“Strong Medicine”, “Providence”, “Will & Grace”,
“The Drew Carey Show” and “Charmed”. In Films he has
been featured in “A Day Without A Mexican”, HBO’s “Gia”
with Angelina Jolie, “Ghosts Never Sleeps” opposite Faye
Dunaway and in his first starring role in the romantic comedy
“10 Attitudes”, which he also co-produced. And he just completed
the indie films “Coffee Date” with Jonathan Silverman &
Wilson Cruz and “Easier, Softer Way” with Mekhi Phifer &
Danny Masterson.
top of page
Laura
Engelken
While attending protestant Christian churches during her youth,
in high school and college, Laura affiliated with fundamentalist
faith communities -- resonating with their emphasis on God's
unconditional love and a personal relationship with Jesus. However,
once she came out as a lesbian, God's love became conditional
as she was rejected by friends, family and faith communities.
Since coming out as a lesbian in 1994, Laura has sought to reclaim
a progressive Christian faith and understanding of the Divine.
Laura is currently pursuing a Master's of Divinity degree at
the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley. She is a person-in-care
with the United Church of Christ and is considering ordination
and a career in campus ministry. Laura earned her Master's in
Higher Education and Student Affairs from The University of
Vermont and worked in public universities over the last decade.
Her Master's thesis was entitled, Integrating Sexual and
Spiritual Identity: Educating Student Affairs Professionals
To Facilitate Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Students' Journeys
Toward Wholeness.
top of page
