Livin’ La Vie Bohème – West Valley’s Gay Summer Movie Night

Taking a break from the heat in the first day of summer, West Valley one n ten kicked back and relaxed for Gay Summer Movie Night, with the selection this time around being a classic musical of stage and screen: RENT; the story of one year in the life of friends living the Bohemian life in the East Village of New York City, 1989-1990 who struggle with life, love, friendship, and AIDS; and the impacts they have on each other and the community.

There was a pleasant mix of folks who had never seen the film or stage version, vets who not only know the words to all the numbers and sang along to them but were already pulling out the Kleenex when the title was announced; and one person from Santa Fe who both winced through and took pride in the hometown references. With many of the youth born long after the peak of the AIDS epidemic, the movie provided some educational material and historical context, as well as entertainment. Despite the Kleenex moments, the movie proved to be a success sparking questions, and the opportunity for discussion topics in future group meetings, as well as being a great way to beat the heat for a couple hours with friends.