| USA. Story of first ever gay family cruise to be screened on Norwegian Cruise Lines ship |
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| Sunday, 26 March 2006 | |
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Entertainment news: Rosie and Kelli O'Donnell are set to attend the April 2 invitation-only screening of HBO's exclusive documentary “All aboard! Rosie’s family cruise” aboard Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Jewel at the Port of Miami. The film accounts the first-ever cruise for gay and lesbian families in America - often too stigmatized and unable to participate in many of the simple public joys that most families take for granted. Parents of four, Rosie and Kelli O'Donnell dreamed of a society free of such discrimination. In 2004, they made that dream come true when 1,500 people - gay, lesbian and straight, young and old - set sail on an historic seven-day cruise to the Caribbean on one of the largest cruise ships in the world. In the process, these families found an oasis where they could celebrate their individuality and shared ideals in a safe and supportive environment. “All aboard! Rosie’s family cruise” chronicles this historic undertaking, offering a glimpse of a society shaped by a truly diverse, inclusive network of families when it debuts on Thursday, April 6 on HBO. Directed by Shari Cookson (Emmy(R) nominee for HBO's "Living Dolls: The Making of a Child Beauty Queen"), the feature-length documentary was a selection of the 2006 Sundance Film Festival, where it had its world premiere in January. The idea for the cruise originated in 2002 when Rosie, Kelli and their friend, travel-industry executive Gregg Kaminsky, discussed possible vacation packages for gay and lesbian families. Two years later, the Norwegian Dawn set sail from New York City to the Bahamas and back on the first gay family cruise. They received an exuberant welcome in Key West from the locals, who honored the vacationers with a ceremony. The idyllic tone of the cruise took a sobering turn, however, when the families were met at the port of Nassau in the Bahamas by vocal and angry anti-gay protesters from two local churches. Among the cruise participants profiled in “All aboard! Rosie’s family cruise” are the O'Donnell clan; one-time NFL star Esera Tuaolo; Wayne Steinman and Sal Iacullo, a pioneering middle-aged male couple who adopted a baby girl 17 years ago and now face an empty nest as their daughter Hope prepares for college. Guests enjoyed the usual amenities of a luxury cruise liner, including, swimming, basketball, days of touring exotic locales and nights of live entertainment. But the cruise also served as a forum for the passengers - many of who have had to find their own way as gay parents with little outside support - to share resources and information. Sessions ranged from a panel discussion on "Being a Dad in a Mom's World" to a seminar on adoption options. To help younger kids cope with the questions and judgments sure to confront them in life, a group of teens, mostly straight, talked about the joys and challenges of growing up in a gay household, from feeling they have to be "the perfect model family" simply to fit in, to the uncertainty of their parents' legal status. Most telling are the personal narratives. Rosie O'Donnell says her mission for the cruise is to welcome gay families and families who love them, noting, "It is, in my opinion, what America is really about." "NCL is pleased to play such an integral role in a project as original and inventive as this," said Colin Veitch, president and CEO of NCL Corporation. "NCL stands for freedom. We want all of our guests to celebrate their individuality and enjoy their vacations the way they choose." Says director and producer Shari Cookson, "I feel honored to have had the opportunity to capture a special week in the lives of these families as they experienced a sense of community many of them had never known before. Rosie and Kelli O'Donnell say that what defines a family is love, and the families in this film are undeniable proof of that." Adds Rosie O'Donnell, "Shari Cookson managed to perfectly and honestly portray the joy, the drama and the sheer crazy fun of this amazing adventure Kelli and I shared with hundreds of wonderful families. Best of all, the film reminds us that families can come in all shapes and sizes, and that the things we all have in common far outweigh our differences." Shari Cookson's HBO credits as director include the Emmy(R)-winning "Living Dolls: The Making of a Child Beauty Queen" and "Skinheads USA: Soldiers of the Race War"; she also produced the HBO documentary "Asylum." “All aboard! Rosie’s family cruise” CRUISE is produced for HBO by Sceneworks in association with KidRo Productions, Inc.; directed and produced by Shari Cookson; executive producers, Sheila Nevins, Kelli O'Donnell and Rosie O'Donnell; producer, John Hoffman; edited and co-produced by Charlton McMillan; director of photography, Maryse Alberti; line producer, Jill M. Soble; camera operators, Sandra Chandler and Beth Wichterich; sound recordists, Brenda Ray and John D. McCormick; music supervisor, Gerry Gershman. |
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| Last Updated ( Sunday, 26 March 2006 ) |
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