My Work
In the 1980's, a disparate group of lesbians living
in the Bible Belt of Southwestern Virginia
came together and created a community for like-minded women.
This slice of lesbian history is told through the voices and anecdotes
of the organizers and others who joined the fun.
THE UNLIKELY STORY
OF THE LESBIANS OF
FIRST FRIDAY
Trailer
When First Friday pushed open the closet door, a vibrant community sprang out.
The events they planned were varied, always fun, and
provided a social life for hundreds of women who were living double lives.
While a documentary tells the story of its subject, there is often
more material than can be used in the final version.
The following clips didn't make it into the doc but are worth sharing none the less.
Monster Mary Catherine
Pam Cobbett tells the story of one of the more outrageous projects she pulled off:
the creation of a Wizard of Oz-type contraption that would fill in for the Retreat's spiritual director, Sister MC.
Name Tags & more
Farmer and retired PE teacher, Marny Richardson has tons of Retreat memories and souvenirs to back them up.
Coming Out stories
Whether funny, endearing, or
heart-breaking, coming out stories are always unique.
First Friday's own Peggy Schiflett,
Kathy Brehony, and Petie Brigham share how they came out.
First Friday Ephemara
Helene Vachon pulled a box
out of storage, and took a trip down Memory Lane with
Nancy Kelly and Gail Burruss.
BIO
KATHRYN L BERANICH
Producer
After launching her career in 1977 as a Producer/Director in Roanoke, Virginia, Kathryn started producing lesbian films
on the side. Her documentaries, After the 2nd Date (1996)
and the Lesbian Centennial Project (2014) played at
LGBT Film Festivals across the US and Europe.
Kathryn describes her work as “holding a mirror up to the lesbian community and documenting the faces and stories of lesbians
who came out in the second half of the 20th Century.”
Since 1997, Kathryn has been based in Los Angeles where she works, produces personal projects, and raises her two children.
ARTIST STATEMENT
I celebrate lesbians who came of age in the '70s and '80s.
We created families of choice, supported each other's careers, and played together on the weekends. Most importantly, we laid the foundation for the acceptance that lesbians enjoy today.
