Prayers for Bobby is nominated for Outstanding Made For Television Movie  and Sigourney Weaver for Outstanding Lead Actress In A Miniseries Or A Movie.

The 61st annual Primetime Emmy Awards will air Sunday, September 20, on CBS.

link
 

Buying ‘Bobby’

By Stuart Elliott

It was not so long ago that most mainstream marketers steered clear of sponsoring television programming that tackled the contentious subject of the lives of gay men and lesbians. Large national advertisers, seeking to avoid alienating or offending mass audiences, would shy from buying commercial time during such shows. That left the slots to be filled with spots from companies that care less about the content of the programs in which they pitch products — or not filled at all.

How much that has changed was underlined on Saturday night when the Lifetime cable channel presented a two-hour original movie, “Prayers for Bobby,” about a religious mother who changes her attitude toward homosexuality after the suicide of her gay son. The movie, based on a true story, carried commercials from big, blue-chip brands sold by TV mainstays like AT&T, General Mills, SC Johnson, MasterCard, Procter & Gamble, Reckitt Benckiser and Wal-Mart Stores.

Some of those companies, like General Mills and Procter, ran multiple commercials for various products they sell.

Lifetime devoted considerable promotional time to “Prayers for Bobby,” which was billed as a Lifetime Red Carpet Event, a title reserved for the channel’s prestige projects. The movie was also advertised heavily in newspapers and magazines. “Prayers for Bobby” featured Sigourney Weaver as Bobby’s mother in her television movie debut.

According to ratings estimates provided by Lifetime on Monday afternoon, 3.8 million viewers watched “Prayers for Bobby” during its premiere on Saturday and a rerun on Sunday night drew 2.3 million viewers. The channel said that traffic to its Web site rose considerably; viewers were told during the show they could visit the Web site to find out more about life with a gay or lesbian child.

Lifetime is part of Lifetime Entertainment Services, a joint venture of the Walt Disney Company and the Hearst Corporation.

The New York Times

 

TV Review: Prayers for Bobby

By Ray Richmond, January 22, 2009 09:27 ET

Bottom Line: Sigourney Weaver shines in a sharply produced and consistently compelling telepic.

Exceptional performances abound in this poignant Lifetime original about a mother who realizes too late that unconditional love for her gay son is far more important than her faith in a homophobic, vindictive and judgmental God.

Based on a true story detailed in the 1995 book "Prayers For Bobby: A Mother's Coming to Terms With the Suicide of Her Gay Son" by late gay journalist Leroy Aarons, the film is an undeniable tour de force for Sigourney Weaver, who portrays the rigidly devout and ultimately devastated mother with a raw intensity and passion.

Moreover, the film has all the earmarks of "important television" without crossing the line into preachy melodrama, earning its tears the old-fashioned way: via a wise, evocative script and sensitive characterizations. It feels like the kind of movie that really could make a difference in the lives of actual moms and dads struggling to come to grips with a gay child's lifestyle.

If "Bobby" comes across as a bit dated in addressing the subject, it's because it is -- by design. It opens in 1979 and covers roughly three years' time. Although it might seem there was significantly less understanding back then of homosexuality being not an illness to be cured but an orientation marked at conception, the controversy spurred by Proposition 8 in California surely tells us otherwise.

Ryan Kelley delivers a terrific, measured performance as the title character. He's the youngest son in a close-knit, religious family of six in Walnut Creek, Calif., who carries around what he's convinced is a shameful secret: He's attracted to boys, not girls. He finally divulges this to his generally understanding older brother Ed (Austin Nichols), but Ed breaks a promise by spilling the beans to the family.

Everyone comes to accept it pretty well aside from mom, Mary Griffith (Weaver), who turns to shrinks and Scripture in a desperate effort to keep Bobby from being damned to hell. It tragically leads to a suicidal leap from a freeway overpass.

A couple of old TV friends, Susan Ruttan ("L.A. Law") and Dan Butler ("Frasier"), show up during the film's second half as a sympathetic parent and priest, respectively, who help guide Mary from the darkness into the light in terms of gay understanding.

Some no doubt will recognize the proverbial gay agenda at work in "Bobby," but the truth is it's really a family drama highlighted by one woman's wrenching journey from blind belief to tolerance, insight and ultimately activism.

Scribe Katie Ford's superb adaptation is successful at connecting the dialogue dots and simultaneously delivering a profound punch to the gut. She's certainly fortunate to have a performer as dynamic as Weaver uttering her words. Overall, this represents one of Lifetime's finest moments, an original that soars above the network's typical overwrought dramatics.

Airdate: 9-11 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24 (Lifetime)
Production: Once Upon a Time Films in association with Permut Presentations and Sladek Taaffe Prods. for Lifetime TV
Cast: Sigourney Weaver, Henry Czerny, Ryan Kelley, Austin Nichols, Carly Schroeder, Susan Ruttan, Dan Butler, Shannon Eagan, Scott Bailey, Rebecca Louise Miller
Executive producers: Stanley M. Brooks, David Permut, Daniel Sladek, Chris Taaffe
Producer: Damian Ganczewski
Co-producers: Steve Longi, Silvio Muraglia, David Steinberg, Mary Griffith, Leroy Aarons
Writer: Katie Ford
Based on the book by: Leroy Aarons
Director: Russell Mulcahy
Director of photography: Thom Best
Production designer: Garreth Stover
Editor: Victor Du Bois
Music: Christopher Ward
Casting: Shana Landsberg

The Hollywood Reporter


 

Prayers for Bobby

by Roger Brigham
EDGE San Francisco Editor
 
Scratch Sigourney Weaver from the American Family Association’s invite list for its annual Christmas party. With a powerful restraint unusual in its genre, the made-for-TV movie "Prayers for Bobby," premiering on Lifetime Jan. 24, delivers a quiet but compelling rejection of the wisdom of sacrificing the most precious of family values -- acceptance of each other -- in the name of blind faith and homophobic damnation. And it’s the heroine who put the hurt on the nasties in the "Alien" movies who emerges as the champion of that lesson.

Directed by Russell Mulcahy, "Prayers" is an adaptation of the book by the late Leroy Aarons, former executive editor of the Oakland Tribune and founder of the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association. It explores the true-life story of the price suburban family pays in its search to reconcile compassion and comprehension with dogmatic faith and cultural prejudices.

When Bobby Griffith (Ryan Kelley) comes out to his family, his devout mother Mary (Weaver) is devastated and determined to help "cure" him through arranged dates, post-em Biblical quotations and constant prayer. Bobby pours his feelings out in a secret diary before finally jumping off a bridge in despair. Mary, never one to question what she could accept on faith, struggles to find a resolution between what she has been taught to believe and what her heart yearns to feel. Ultimately compassion wins and she joins PFLAG as an advocate for social acceptance.

Weaver’s performance is essential to the effectiveness of "Prayers." She captures a woman who loves and is loves, but is truly conflicted by her son’s revelation, and fears losing him to The Dark Side. Her conflict threatens not just her relationship with her son, but nearly engulfs those around them, including husband (Henry Czerny) and Bobby’s brother (Austin Nichols). Eventually, the conflict more than anything else becomes the resented intruder, and after Bobby’s suicide it is the conflict itself that Mary must do battle. In this struggle, she is helped to find answers for herself by MCC Rev. Whitsell (openly gay Dan Butler) and PFLAG member Betty Lambert (Susan Ruttan, ever suffering on "L.A. Law").

In lesser hands, the story could have been rendered into hysterical cartoon stereotypes in preachy dramatics over gay teen suicides and religious intolerance. That might have made for more entertainment value, but we would have lost what we receive instead: an understanding that the enemy of queer acceptance is not religion or the people who have strong religious values, but rather the reluctance to challenge written dogma when it conflicts with the spirit of the underlying scripture.

The white suburban world I grew up in in the heartland of Ohio was parallel to that of the Griffiths’, but I was more fortunate. My parents raised their children with their religious values, but beyond asking that we be ethical and compassionate people, they only demanded of us that we be happy. When I became aware that my sexuality was not something they would recognize as compatible with happiness, I waited to tell them I was gay until I lived near enough that I could show them I am, indeed, very happy.

Could any parent hope for more?

I saw "Prayers" at a press screening in San Francisco, sitting a few seats to the left of Mary. Soda, popcorn and brightly colored boxes of tissues were distributed, and even tho everyone knew the story going in, many of the hankies were indeed used. When I said goodbye to Mary after the screening and thanked her for sharing her story, she quietly nodded her head and said, "Well, maybe it’s never too late to right some injustices."

One of those injustices is shown vividly in the movie. At Bobby’s funeral, the chosen clergyman praises Bobby, then lets one and all know how damned he is because of his sexuality. It reminded me of a friend’s funeral a decade or so ago in Los Angeles, at which a fundamentalist minister told the congregation that not only my friend was now burning in hell, but that all of us faggots out there would soon be doing so as well. Those of us who knew Casey well sat and took it, having heard it all before and knowing we would hear it all again. The younger students in the church, these young kids whose lives Casey had profoundly affected with his compassion and his wisdom, sat with shocked looks upon their faces, before abruptly getting up, nodding their condolences, and walking out in anger at the ignorance they had just heard.

Mary’s right: it’s never too late to right some injustices. Exhausting, but never too late.

EDGE San Francisco

 

Prayers for Bobby

(Movie -- Lifetime, Sat.. Jan. 24, 9 p.m.)
By BRIAN LOWRY

Filmed in Detroit by Once Upon a Time Films in association with Permut Presentations and Sladek Taaffe Prods. Executive producers, Stanley M. Brooks, David Permut, Daniel Sladek, Chris Taaffe; producer, Damian Ganczewski; co-producers, Steve Longi, Silvio Muraglia, David Steinberg, Mary Griffith, Leroy Aarons; director, Russell Mulcahy; writer, Katie Ford, based on the book by Aarons.
 
Mary Griffith - Sigourney Weaver
Bob Griffith - Henry Czerny
Bobby Griffith - Ryan Kelley
Ed Griffith - Austin Nichols
Joy Griffith - Carly Schroeder
Nancy Griffith - Shannon Eagan
David - Scott Bailey
Jeanette - Rebecca Louise Miller
Betty Lambert - Susan Ruttan
Reverend Whitsell - Dan Butler

Sigourney Weaver's TV movie debut proves worth the wait, as Lifetime's fact-based "Prayers for Bobby" revisits ground similar to that which the AIDS-themed "An Early Frost" broke nearly 25 years ago and -- thanks to enduring religious-based bigotry toward gays -- still feels fresh and poignant. Lifetime doesn't often aim this high with its made-fors, yet barring some minor questionable stylistic choices by director Russell Mulcahy, this message movie proves powerful without being unduly preachy.

The year is 1979, and Mary Griffith (Weaver) has what looks to be a family plucked from a Norman Rockwell painting, until teenage son Bobby (Ryan Kelley, simply terrific) confides to his brother ("John From Cincinnati's" Austin Nichols) that he dreams of boys, not girls. Refusing to accept that her son might be gay, the God-fearing Mary begins a campaign to "cure" him -- posting passages of scripture on his bathroom mirror and forcing him into uncomfortable therapy sessions.

"There's no doubt in my mind that God can handle this," she announces to her husband (Henry Czerny), who's mostly a passive observer, other than dragging Bobby along on a camping trip, presumably to help butch him up.

So it goes, until Bobby -- in an act of pain and desperation -- flings himself off a freeway overpass at the age of 20. What follows is Mary's spiritual quest to understand what transpired -- a tormented, tear-stained journey for which three hankies won't be nearly enough.

Beautifully adapted by writer Katie Ford from Leroy Aarons' book, the movie takes dialogue that has doubtless been expressed from children to parents countless times before -- "Why would I choose this?" an exasperated Bobby pleads to his mother -- and sharpens its edges to unleash the heartbreak within. That's largely due to the fine performances, which zero in on the characters' shared suffering, frustration and confusion.

Mulcahy does indulge in a few unnecessary flourishes, from using what are essentially camera tricks to accentuate Bobby's emotional distress to having one extended speech delivered directly into the camera. Yet these amount to quibbles in what's otherwise a class act, one that tackles its subject matter with the sort of uncompromising passion not readily associated with Lifetime titles like last year's "Sex and Lies in Sin City: The Ted Binion Scandal."

The common thread among Lifetime's disparate movies is that they pivot on a recognizable actress in a central role. "Prayers for Bobby" certainly has that, and in Weaver a leading lady whose prayers for a part worthy of her talents have been forcefully answered.

Camera, Thom Best; production designer, Garreth Stover; editor, Victor Du Bois; music, Christopher Ward; casting, Shana Landsberg. Running Time: 120 MIN.

Variety
 

Answered Prayer: “Prayers For Bobby” is a Groundbreaking Gay TV Movie

by Brent Hartinger
January 14, 2009

It’s an admittedly gripping story: a conservative Christian woman refuses to accept her gay teenage son, hounding him to “change” to the point where he commits suicide. But then, overcome by the realization of what she has done, the woman educates herself, renounces her previous anti-gay beliefs, and becomes a crusader for GLBT youth and gay rights.

Perhaps it’s not surprising that the real-life story of Mary Griffith of Walnut Creek, California, has now become Prayers for Bobby, a TV movie starring Sigourney Weaver airing on Lifetime later this month.

And yet, as extraordinary as the story is, it was anything but an easy sell.

“Making movies is hard enough,” says Daniel Sladek, one of the film’s executive producers. “But when you have a movie about teen suicide, a woman questioning her faith, and gay rights, that’s a hot potato.”

The finished film is not your typical TV movie. Unlike most previous gay TV movies, the filmmakers don’t dance around the issues; they tackle religion head-on, making the explicit connection between anti-gay religious beliefs and the oppression of gay people. As the recent controversy over California’s Proposition 8 showed, religious beliefs are still the primary — maybe the only remaining — argument against same-sex equality. In the aftermath of that fight, the movie feels eerily contemporary despite being set in the 1970s.

“I know a very religious family, and they do think that homosexuality is an abomination,” says star Sigourney Weaver. “I’m hoping that this film will begin to open their eyes — if not the older generation, then perhaps the younger one.”

It all began when Mary refused to accept that her teenage son, Bobby, was gay.

“It was just ignorance,” says Mary Griffith now. “I believed what my church said about gay people. I can forgive myself for that, but I had a hard time forgiving the church.” Griffith still lives in Walnut Creek, but no longer attends the same church.

Griffith’s heartbreaking story eventually attracted the interest of a gay journalist, Leroy Aarons, who worked with the family on a book, Prayers for Bobby, published in 1995. It turned out that Bobby had kept a diary of his thoughts and feelings during the struggle with his mother.

In 1997, Sladek was given the book by his producing partner, Chris Taaffe, who had found it on the shelves of A Different Light bookstore in LA.

“It just floored me, took my breath away,” Sladek said. “I’m 43-years-old. If he [were] alive today, Bobby would be 45. Ninety percent of the book resonated on a personal level: Rocky Horror, Anita Bryant. I saw myself in the book.”

Sladek and Taaffe optioned the project, originally intending it to be a feature film. But the resulting screenplay attracted the attention of Susan Sarandon, who had been approached by NBC to do a TV movie.

“They wanted something controversial, Emmy caliber,” Sladek says. “This is what made us first think of TV. [The medium] has evolved over the years. Cable networks are stepping up, taking on more feature film-like properties. Talent, A-list actors and directors are responding.”

The NBC deal didn’t work out, and Sarandon moved on, but Sladek and Taaffe kept pitching the project. In 2000, they managed to sell it to Lifetime with Sela Ward attached to play Mary Griffith. But that deal didn’t pan out either.

A few years later, they sold it yet again, to Showtime, as a vehicle for Christine Lahti.

Incredibly, that deal also fell through, and at the end of 2007, Sladek had almost given up on TV for good. He and Taaffe were all set to finally produce it as the feature film they had originally envisioned.

Just before they were about to start production, Lifetime expressed interest again, this time with Sigourney Weaver in the lead.

“I thought how wonderful we could put this [classic book] in another form, for families to experience,” Weaver says. “It was driven by a commitment to Bobby. Hopefully it’ll start a dialogue for the people who think this issue [of homosexuality] is black and white.”

Soon the producers had assembled the rest of an impressive cast that includes LA Law’s Susan Ruttan and Frasier’s Dan Butler, who is openly gay and who plays a minister that Mary reached out to at the Metropolitan Community Church.

Scott Bailey, the star of the MTV series Saints and Sinners, plays Bobby’s boyfriend, David. And the film is directed by Russell Mulcahy, who has directed everything from Highlander to the music videos of Duran Duran, Elton John, and George Michael.

“I was really quite thrilled,” Mary Griffith said when she learned that her story would finally be told on screen. “How could I object to this terrific actress and all these people?”

One great irony is that many more people will probably see Prayers for Bobby as a heavily-promoted Lifetime TV movie than might have seen it as a smaller feature. And yet, the filmmakers claim they didn’t have to make major compromises on either their vision or their message.

“Predominantly, it’s the original script, the original vision and original work we started with by [writer] Katie Ford, who has been with us from day one,” Sladek says. “There were a lot of people along the way who wanted us to change it, temper it, add melodrama. But the three of us, [Ford, Taaffe, and myself], we stuck to our guns.”

Indeed, the story is told with subtlety and sophistication, and the performances — especially Ryan Kelley as Bobby and Weaver, who will almost certainly be in the running for an Emmy — are excellent. It may be the best TV movie on gay issues ever, precisely because there is absolutely nothing cautious or watered down in its execution.

“This is a film that is about realization and reaching out and making amends and doing everything you can to love the people you love,” Weaver says simply.

Sladek makes it clear that this project is a labor of love for everyone involved.

“It’s a television film,” he says. “It’s not the case that anyone’s getting rich. But hopefully we’ll leave something behind that will make a difference. Hopefully it might save some lives.”

For more information on the film, or to send feedback to filmmakers, visit the movie’s website.

Prayers for Bobby will play three times on Lifetime: Saturday, January 24, 9-11 PM; Sunday, January 25, 8-10 PM; and Tuesday, January 27, 9-11 PM.

AfterElton 
 

Mary Griffith: Everyday Hero

Ex-evangelical Christian Mary Griffith overcame the suicide of her son Bobby and became an outspoken advocate for gay rights.

Read the article here: Advocate
 

Prayers for Bobby site on Lifetime  TV





Award

Sigourney Weaver is the recipient of PFLAG's first-ever Straight for Equality Entertainment Award at our 2009 Straight for Equality Awards Gala coming to Times Square, New York City this February, 5, 2009. Read more about out special gala event here

PFLAG

If any two people can truly know each other's hearts, Caitlin Ryan and Mary Griffith surely do.

Griffith, a California mother who raised her son Bobby in a devoutly religious household, became a most unlikely crusader for gay rights after Bobby committed suicide in the 1980s. After praying for her son, rejecting him out-of-hand and pushing him away because he was gay (and because she thought her faith required that she do so), Mary lost Bobby forever and began a remarkable journey that, in many ways, finally came full circle in just the past few weeks.

On January 24th, Lifetime television will bring Mary's story, based on the acclaimed novel Prayers for Bobby, to the small screen. And just weeks prior to the film's premiere, Dr. Ryan -- a researcher based not far from Mary's suburban California home -- released groundbreaking research showing that Bobby was never really alone. In fact, he had, unfortunately, far too much company.

Ryan, who heads up San Francisco State University's "Family Acceptance Project," released the first part of her new research on family acceptance and gay youth in this month's Journal of Pediatrics. And while, on the surface, her findings may seem overly logical, the story of Bobby Griffith shows us that for many families, there is still much to learn.

The research conducted by Ryan is chilling in its conclusions and unmistakable in its consequences. When families reject their lesbian, gay and bisexual children, it has a dramatic impact on the long-term health and well-being of those young people. Poor health, starkly higher rates of depression, an increased likelihood of drug use and, most disturbing, an undeniably greater risk of suicide are just a few of the side-effects of family rejection.

Read the whole article here: The Huffington Post





Interview with Sigourney Weaver about "Prayers for Bobby"

Sigourney Weaver will rip your heart out in Prayers for Bobby, the true story of Mary Griffith, a religious mother who drives her gay son to suicide.

Read it here: The Advocate

Thanksdestinytb !
 

Preparing for Prayers

PFLAG is coming - with a little help from Sigourney Weaver - to a television screen near you.

Beginning this month, we're partnering with Lifetime Television, our PFLAG chapters, and stars from the upcoming film Prayers for Bobby on a number of public education events. Prayers, which debuts January 24 on Lifetime, tells the true story of Mary Griffith, the mother of a gay son, and her journey toward embracing the LGBT community following his tragic suicide. Based on the novel by Leroy Aarons, Prayers also highlights the important role PFLAG played in Mary's experience and empowers families to embrace their LGBT loved ones.

In the coming days, we'll be posting more information, right here, on upcoming PFLAG events related to Prayers, including media appearances by PFLAG spokespeople . . . official PFLAG viewing parties in cities across the country . . . and live public events featuring cast members from the film, including award-winning actress Sigourney Weaver, and PFLAG parents and staffers. And, you can log onto the official Prayers for Bobby website, at Lifetime TV, to take part in an ongoing discussion about the film . . . the book . . . and the powerful example of Mary Griffith's journey.

Then, tune in on January 24 - or join PFLAG at one of our official viewing parties - for this stunning and moving film, featuring a power-house performance by Weaver and an unforgettable script based on Aarons' groundbreaking novel.

Together, we'll use the power of Prayers, and the families of PFLAG, to change hearts and minds across the country.

- Jody M. Huckaby

PFLAG

Join PFLAG & Sigourney Weaver in Los Angeles

 

 David Permut, Daniel Sladek & Chris Taaffe

Executive Producers

Invite Los Angeles-Area PFLAG Supporters to a Special Screening Of

Sigourney Weaver

in

Prayers for Bobby

Academy Award nominee and Golden Globe winner Sigourney Weaver stars in this emotional true story about a 1970s religious, suburban housewife and mother who struggle to accept her gay teenage son. What happens to Bobby is tragic and causes Mary to question her faith; ultimately, this mother changes her views in ways that she never could have imagined.

Based on the landmark book Prayers for Bobby by Leroy Aarons.

Introductory Remarks By

American Jewish University President Dr. Robert Wexler

PFLAG National Executive Director Jody Huckaby

AJU Vice President and Dean, Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies, Rabbi Bradley S. Artson

and

Sigourney Weaver

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

7:00 pm

 

GINDI AUDITORIUM

at the American Jewish University
 

15600 Mulholland Drive

Bel-Air, CA 90077

(immediately east of the 405 Freeway)
 

 

Please RSVP by January 12th at (310) 440-1212

link

 

Genre: True Story Drama

Premieres January 24 at 9 pm et/pt

Lifetime
 

 

17th annual Women in Entertainment event 

Sigourney Weaver -- referencing her upcoming Lifetime movie "Prayers for Bobby," based on the true story of Mary Griffith, who becomes a gay rights crusader after her teenage son Bobby commits suicide -- gave a passionate speech applauding the election of Barack Obama and slamming the passage of California's Proposition 8, which bans gay marriage.

"This is not a social issue, this is a human rights issue; it's not about tolerance, it's about justice and equality," she said. "(What) Barack Obama taught is that 'Yes, we can'. For Bobby's sake, I hope that yes, we will."

Hollywood Reporter
 

 

Trevor Project Scores Big With Cracked Xmas

California’s passage of the same-sex marriage ban Proposition 8 was a recurring theme running through Cracked Xmas 11, the annual holiday fund-raiser for the teen help line the Trevor Project.
...
Held at Los Angeles’s Wiltern Theater, the December 7 event brought thousands out for what the Trevor Project describes as its annual “evening of irreverent comedy, music, and awards.” One of the charity’s main fund-raisers, Cracked Xmas helps the Trevor Project maintain its 24-7 crisis and suicide prevention hotline for LGBTQ youths. Since its inception in 1998, Trevor has taken over 100,000 phone calls.
...
Scrubs star Sarah Chalke presented Lifetime Networks with the Trevor Hope Award, accepted by Lifetime executive JoAnn Alfano, who gave Chalke props for appearing as the “pretty Mormon girl” in Marc Shaiman’s recent Internet sensation Prop. 8: The Musical. Alfano spoke of Lifetime’s commitment to inclusive programming, including the upcoming TV movie Prayers for Bobby, an adaptation of the Leroy Aarons book profiling Mary Griffith, a religious woman who became an LGBT activist after her gay son Bobby committed suicide. Alfano spoke of her own recent marriage to her partner of 14 years (“it was a very long engagement”) and her belief that “Bobby Griffith might be alive today” if Trevor had existed when Griffith was contemplating killing himself.
...
Hathaway returned to the stage to present Sigourney Weaver with the Trevor Life Award. The Oscar-nominated actress stars in Lifetime’s Prayers for Bobby, which Weaver said was a powerful learning experience, because she discovered many close gay friends still have complicated relationships with their own families.

Weaver thanked the Griffith family for sharing their story with the world. “They thought they were doing the right thing,” Weaver said, noting that the Griffiths' church had told them their son would burn in a lake of fire for being gay. “That’s Christianity for you,” she said.

The Griffiths' story still has resonance today, Weaver said. “Prop. 8 showed all of us the roots of this kind of ignorance and bigotry.” While Weaver spoke about the larger issue of Prop. 8, she noted she had been thinking about Bobby Griffith during the evening’s ceremonies: “I think he would have had a wonderful time being here.”

The Advocate




The Trevor Project's charity event

"During her passionate acceptance speech, Sigourney Weaver expressed how proud she was to star in Lifetime's upcoming movie Prayers for Bobby, the true story of Mary Griffith, a gay rights crusader whose teenage son committed suicide due to her religious intolerance."

Source

"They previewed Sigourney's new Lifetime movie based on a true story, Prayers For Bobby, about a highly religious mother who's son comes out to her and ends up killing himself. It looks amazing and she gives quite the performance....

Sigourney talked about working on the movie (that took 13 years to get greenlit), meeting the family, and talked about how if Trevor Project had been around when Bobby was alive he probably wouldn't have comitted suicide."

Source

Lifetime Original Movie "Prayers for Bobby," premieres Saturday, January 24, at 9PM (ET/PT).

Link
 

Lifetime, Weaver To Be Honored By Trevor Project

Award Given To Those Who Inspire LGBT Community

By Linda Haugsted -- Multichannel News, 11/20/2008 11:36:00 AM

Lifetime Networks and Sigourney Weaver, star of the network's upcoming telefilm Prayers for Bobby, will be honored by the Trevor Project, the operator of a national suicide prevention helpline for gay, bisexual and transgender youth.

The award is given to individuals and companies that inspire the LGBT community. The award will be presented during the group's Cracked Xmas fundraising event at the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles on Dec. 7.
Weaver will receive the Trevor Life Award, in part, for her role as Mary Griffith in the upcoming Lifetime movie, which "drives home a message about the harmful and potentially life-shattering effects of intolerance and homophobia."

Lifetime will be honored for its history of tackling films that discuss life issues and the impact of homophobia, such as What Makes a Family, The Truth About Jane and A Girl Like Me: The Gwen Araujo Story. Past recipients of this award have included Clear Channel Communications and HBO.

Prayers for Bobby, which is also co-produced by Weaver, is about a very conservative and religious woman who begins to question her beliefs when her gay son commits suicide.

Multichannel

The Trevor Project

Honorees

Event

 

Prayers for Bobby

 

Based on a true story and Leroy Aarons’ book of the same name, Sigourney Weaver stars as Mary Griffith, a profoundly religious wife and mother who begins to question her faith after the suicide of her beloved gay son.

Ultimately, with the posthumous acceptance of her son’s homosexuality, Mary becomes an advocate for the rights of gay and lesbian youth. “Prayers for Bobby” will premiere in February 2009 on Lifetime Television.

Summary: In “Prayers for Bobby,” Mary Griffith (Weaver) is a devout Christian who raised her children with the conservative teachings of her Presbyterian church. But when her son Bobby confides to his older brother he may be gay, life changes for the entire family after Mary learns about his secret. While Bobby’s father and siblings slowly come to terms with his homosexuality, Mary believes God can cure him of what she considers his ’sin’ and persuades Bobby to pray harder and seek solace in church activities in hopes of changing him. Desperate for his mother’s approval, Bobby does what is asked of him, but through it all, the church’s apparent disapproval of homosexuality causes him to grow increasingly withdrawn and depressed.
Guilty over the pain he is causing Mary, Bobby moves away, yet hopes that some day his mother will accept him. His subsequent depression and self-loathing intensifies as he blames himself for not being the ‘perfect’ son and is driven to suicide. Faced with their tragedy, Mary begins to question her faith when she receives no answers from her pastor concerning her devastating loss. Through her long and emotional journey, Mary slowly reaches out to the gay community and discovers unexpected support from a very unlikely source.

Austin plays Ed Griffith, Mary's son and Bobby's brother.

Source and More Info about the Movie: Gay News Bit and Imdb

Official site

Pictures

Videos