Laurel Hester (1956-2006) (l) and Stacie Andree from Lieutenant Films, Freeheld, Photo by: Heidi Gutman

Click here to watch the trailer for Freeheld

NEW YORK, NY, Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Astraea congratulates Lieutenant Films, whose film, Freeheld, received an Academy Award for best documentary short subject at Sunday's Oscar ceremonies. Freeheld, a film by Cynthia Wade, is a gripping 38-minute documentary about a terminally-ill high ranking New Jersey police officer, and her struggle to secure pension benefits for her surviving female partner.

In 2007, Lieutenant Films received a $6,000 grant from Astraea for post-production costs of the film.

Directed by Wade, the film was one of four in the category and competed with La Corona, Salim Baba and Sari's Mother. Prior to winning the Oscar, the film secured an array of honors including: Sundance Film Festival Special Jury Prize, Spokane GLBT Film Festival and Denver Film Society Social Justice Award.

More about Freeheld
"Detective Lieutenant Laurel Hester spent 25 years investigating tough cases in Ocean County, New Jersey, protecting the rights of victims and putting her life on the line. She had no reason to expect that in the last year of her life, after she was diagnosed with terminal cancer, that her final battle for justice would be for the woman she loved.

The documentary film Freeheld chronicles Laurel's struggle to transfer her earned pension to her domestic partner, Stacie Andree. With less than six months to live, Laurel refuses to back down when her elected officials - the Ocean County Freeholders-deny her request to leave her pension to Stacie, an automatic option for heterosexual married couples. The film is structured chronologically, following both the escalation of Laurel's battle with the Freeholders and the decline of her health as cancer spreads to her brain.

As Laurel's plight intensifies, it spurs a media frenzy and a passionate advocacy campaign. At the same time, Freeheld captures a quieter, personal story: that of the deep love between Laurel and Stacie as they face the reality of losing each other. Alternating from packed public demonstrations at the county courthouse to quiet, tender moments of Laurel and Stacie at home, Freeheld combines tension-filled political drama with personal detail, creating a nuanced study of a grassroots fight for justice."

—Courtesy of Lieutenant Films

Contact: Melissa Hoskins 212.529.8021 x26 mhoskins@astraeafoundation.org

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