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Throughout his screenwriting career, Dustin Lance Black has been lauded as a prolific biographer who meaningfully perpetuates the legacies of impressive figures in his films. Most famously, he painted a very relevant portrait of pioneering gay politician Harvey Milk in his Oscar-winning screenplay for the 2008 film Milk. In his 2019 memoir, Mama’s Boy: A Story of Our Americas, Black tackles the most personal biographical subject of his career — his mother, Ann Bish.
The piece immortalizes his mother as a figure of constancy while presenting a narrative of change and acceptance. Black’s close relationship with his mother was challenged by her commitment to the Mormon faith. This rift is eventually replaced by their mutual love and empathy for each other. A documentary adaptation of the book, directed by Laurent Bouzereau, was released on HBO on October 25.
Using Black’s words, Bouzereau adds new dimensions to the story for the screen, layering Bish’s biography with Black’s own to present an intimate portrait of one family’s journey to understand themselves and each other. Black starred in the film as a subject, but explained that he wanted it to be produced separately from him.
“I didn’t feel like I would ever be objective enough to write a movie about my life,” Black said during a panel. “So then I needed someone I could trust to take the book from me and make a movie.”
As a tribute to Black, the Virginia Film Festival hosted a screening of the documentary at the Culbreth Theater Sunday. The presentation began with remarks by Glenn Williamson, film producer and VAFF board member, who presented the screenwriter with the Changemaker Award.
Black began her career as a screenwriter, elevating the history of the LGBTQ+ community, and got up a major figure in the fight for marriage equality after being inspired by winning an Oscar. This award honored Lance’s commitment to inspiring political action and empowering LGBTQ+ communities, both on and off screen.
As Black accepted the award, he spoke of the special bond he shares with Virginia on both a political and personal level. It’s also the state his mother and brother called home.
“I’m a mama’s boy with a mama like that [lived] here in Virginia,” Black said. “So this place has my heart.”
After the screening, Black joined a conversation with NPR reporter and Class of 2004 alumnus Bilal Kereshi to discuss the issues raised by the film and answer questions from the audience.
Through a series of family photos, documents and home videos, the film visualizes the development of Bish and Black as individuals and as a family over the decades. In the film itself, depictions of Black’s family life are pushed forward by the narrative he provides in his on-camera interviews. It recounts intimate family memories and moments of personal revelation. Black’s natural understanding of the power of storytelling—and his passionate screen presence—can shine through in these segments.
In one particularly poignant scene, Black and his brother return to a river near their childhood home, where the two used to play and hide away from their abusive stepfather. These moments of visual confrontation with the past add incredible layers to Black’s stories.
In exploring these personal themes, the story also reveals a deep political message about connecting across differences and meaningful conversation as a way forward for change.
Black recalls learning that his late older brother was also gay, but was unable to fully embrace his identity in rural Virginia the same way Black had been in his California community, noting, that it feels like they live in “two different Americas.”
Another emotional scene documents how Black and Bish were able to reconcile after Bish’s initial reluctance to accept his sexuality created a rift in their relationship. On the day of Black’s graduation from UCLA, Bish showed up unannounced at his party, gained a better understanding of the Black community, and even put in a good word for his crush.
At the end of the discussion, Black tearfully explained how his mother’s influence continues to push him to pursue a better world, even though the future looks bleak.
“I’m my mother’s son,” Black said. “You know, for better or for worse, if I see something going on and it’s really hurting people, and I know I have a solution or a way we can go, I was just brought up to go in there.”
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