February 21, 2005

Dear Marriage Equality Friends and Allies:

The documentary, FREEDOM TO MARRY, needs your help!

During the past year our film, FREEDOM TO MARRY, has received an overwhelming positive national and international response.  Premiering at the famed Castro Theatre in San Francisco's FRAMELINE International GLBT Film Festival, our film was first screened to an audience of 1,400!

FREEDOM TO MARRY has since been screened in 23 film festivals around the world, won the AUDIENCE FAVORITE AWARD in the 17th Annual Atlanta GLBT OUT ON FILM Festival, has been translated to three languages (Spanish, French and Chinese) and used as an educational tool in colleges and universities!

FREEDOM TO MARRY has been endorsed by major organizations such as PFLAG Headquarters/Washington, DC, Marriage Equality California, EQCA, Marriage Equality USA, the Unitarian Universalist Church, and acclaimed as “the most current and positive film on marriage equality to date!”

We have now reached a major turning point in the distribution of our film and we need your help to proceed.  FREEDOM TO MARRY has been accepted by NETA (National Educational Telecommunications Association) and will be distributed to PBS stations throughout the U.S. IF WE ARE ABLE TO MEET THEIR BROADCAST REQUIREMENTS BY MID-APRIL, 2005.

In order to meet these PBS broadcast requirements we will have to make a number of editing revisions including, closed captioning ($625), licensing of archival footage ( 18 sec. at $40 per second = $760),  professional lab processing ($475), NETA handling fee ($100) and a mailing to PBS stations ($225).  The total of these expenses will be $2,185.

If we can raise this money by April 1, 2005, FREEDOM TO MARRY will be offered nationally to PBS stations for viewing during Gay Pride Month - June 2005, and throughout the coming year.

You or your organization can contribute as an underwriter of FREEDOM TO MARRY and if your donation is received by March 25th we will be able to include your name or organization in the credits of the film to be aired nationally on PBS.

Your tax deductible donations will allow FREEDOM TO MARRY to continue to promote the message of marriage equality to its largest audience ever – PBS stations throughout the U.S.!

Checks should be made payable to our fiscal sponsor as follows:  The Arts Council of Mendocino County for THE FREEDOM TO MARRY PROJECT. The Arts Council will send you a receipt for tax-deductible donation. Please address your check as follows:


Check payable to:  The Arts Council of Mendocino County
For:    The FREEDOM TO MARRY Project
Mail to:  FREEDOM TO MARRY Project
         Arts Council of Mendocino County
         P.O. Box 1393
         Fort Bragg, CA  95437

For more information on FREEDOM TO MARRY, please visit out website at: freedomtomarry.tv or you may contact us at 707/937-2880.
Thank you for your support!

Laurie York and Carmen Goodyear,
Directors/Producers, FREEDOM TO MARRY