Filmmaker Statement

Little Hollywood is a story that’s rooted in my personal life. And the relationship between Barb and Lyle is directly inspired by the rift and eventual reconciliation between my own queer, college-aged daughter and her conservative grandparents.  When my daughter came out a few years ago, it was incredibly difficult for her. Despite the love and support that my wife and I showed her, she struggled with the lack of acceptance she felt in our conservative community in Utah and, in particular, from her very religious grandparents. Only when my daughter was hospitalized did her grandparents see that the greatest danger wasn’t their granddaughter’s queer identity, it was the possibility of losing her.