What a wonderful treat it was to be invited to attend the 2005 Power Up Power Premiere! It was a testament to just how much attention L-word.com is getting, when its representatives were able to mingle with celebrities including Robert Gant, Margaret Cho, Jane Lynch, Jennifer Love Hewitt, and  Ilene Chaiken, Sharh Shahi, Daniela Sea, Amy and Elizabeth Ziff of Betty, as well as many others. In addition to the very visible celebrities, we joined members of Power Up, along with their guests as they proceeded to “celebrate their successes, and toast their future.”

The celebration started off with the silent auction items all displayed, waiting for eager and generous bidders...during which you could feel the excitement of celebrity arrivals, followed by the pre-dinner cocktail party, and finally dinner, and the awards ceremony. This is the only fund-raising gala Power Up hosts, and the money that is raised at the Power Premiere is what funds their programs for the next twelve months.

Stacy Codikow, the Founder and Executive Director of Power Up, was very accommodating, and even though she was frantically trying to greet all the guests, and make sure everything was running smoothly, she still took time to ensure that we felt welcome, and encouraged us to roam around wherever we wanted to. We were one of only a few who were allowed to take pictures during the celebrity cocktail party, as well as the award presentations. During dinner, we shared a table with representatives from AfterEllen, Curve, Girlfriends, and Lesbian News, definitely feeling like we were part of the celebration, not there just to observe it.

Allow me tell you about this wonderful organization called Power Up (Professional Organization of Women in Entertainment Reaching Up). What started as a networking group of about 100 lesbian filmmakers, including writers, directors, producers, actors, and crew, has now, five years later grown into a powerful non profit organization, boasting a membership of over 1500 women and men, both gay and straight. Their mission... “to promote the visibility and integration of gay women in entertainment, the arts, and all forms of media.” This support is given in several different ways, including filmmaking grants, sponsorships, mentoring, and intensive workshops. Power Up also serves as the studio for films produced under its filmgrant program. Power Up films have been an official selection at the Sundance Film Festival for the last three years. Their films have won over 50 awards, both national and international, and have appeared in 100's of film festivals.

So, the next time you attend your local gay and lesbian film festivals, watch for Power Up to roll across the credits, as they have been able to award over one million dollars in grants over the past three years.

This year they presented their “10 Amazing Gay Women in Showbiz” to the following women:

JAMIE BABBIT – Director.
BUT I’M A CHEERLEADER, NIP/TUCK, THE BERNIE MAC SHOW, MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE, and POPULAR. Currently Jamie is in post production for THE QUIET, starring Elisha Cubert and Edie Falco.

LAUREN LLOYD – Manager/Producer.

CELLULAR, MERMAIDS, DROP ZONE, THE BUTCHER'S WIFE, DREAM LOVER, THE FIRES WITHIN and FREDDIE GOT FINGERED. Lauren is in pre-production on SMOKE for Gold Circle, DIARY at Sony Pictures starring Jennifer Aniston, and POP WARNER with Mel Gibson.

JANE LYNCH – Actor/comedian/Writer/Director.
MIGHTY WIND, BEST IN SHOW, TWO AND HALF MEN, THE L WORD, CELESTE and BAM BAM by Margaret Cho, THE 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN, FIFTY PILLS and POWER UP’s PROM-troversy and LITTLE BLACK BOOT. Jane wrote and starred in the award winning play OH SISTER, MY SISTER.

GWEN MARCUS – Executive Vice President, Showtime Network, Inc.
Gwen is the company’s chief legal officer in charge of the Network’s Human Resources and Administration department. Gwen was a part of the management team that created the groundbreaking series QUEER AS FOLK and THE L WORD.

ROBERTA MARIE MUNROE – Writer/Filmmaker/Programmer.
Roberta is one of three Short Film Programmers at the Sundance Film Festival. This past year she wrote/directed her first short film DANI & ALICE through the Fox Searchlab program.

EILEEN OPATUT – Senior Vice President of Original Programming, LOGO TV.
Eileen began at Nickelodeon where she developed and acquired material for Nickelodeon, then she moved to the BBC and then to the Food Network. Currently Eileen is at LOGO, the new gay and lesbian channel set to launch this summer.

ANGELA ROBINSON – Writer/Director/Editor.
POWER UP’s multi award winning short D.E.B.S. to Screen Gems feature D.E.B.S. to Disney’s HERBIE: FULLY LOADED. Recently, Angela signed a two-year, first look pact with Disney that covers her work as a writer, director, and producer.

JENNY STEWART – Entertainment Editor.
Jenny is the industry insider for the Entertainment channel on PlanetOut and Gay.com. Jenny is also the creator and driving force behind RockOut, the first-ever music channel to spotlight and highlight up and coming gay and lesbian musicians.

DANNIELLE THOMAS – Manager/Producer.
In the spring of 2006, Dannielle will produce the DUSTY SPRINGFIELD project with Universal Pictures, Marc Platt and Kristin Chenoweth. POWER UP film grantee Jessica Sharzer (FLY CHERRY) will write/direct. Dannielle is part of the management company Untitled Entertainment.JENNY WALL – Entrepreneur/Marketer.
Jenny marketed HBO’s ANGEL’S IN AMERICA, Sundance Channel’s OUTLOUD and Paramount Picture’s MEAN GIRLS. She is an owner in Crew Integrated Marketing where HBO, TNT, the Discovery Channel, Sony, the Sundance Channel, Samuel Goldwyn, and CBS are clients.

These awards are voted for by the 1500 members of the organisation, and clearly show the wonderful persity that is present in the film industry:

The recipient of their annual Artistry Award, an award “Given to an inpidual who has exhibited courage, dignity and integrity through their artistic endeavors, which have helped to shape public opinion and societal growth,” was Ilene Chaiken. Ilene was introduced by Sarah Shahi, along with new season three cast members Daniela Sea, and Alexandra Hedison. During her remarks, Sarah described Ilene as an “Innovator, pioneer, and friend.” She added, “By showing the texture of her different life, and showing the world that despite our differences we all experience the same emotions and challenges...she has created a truly groundbreaking show, that I am so honored to be a part of.” Daniela Sea then thanked Ilene for “Bringing all her spirit, love and good vision to the TV, where you don’t always expect it to be.”... “She just keeps trying to push the envelope, keep it real...and I just want to say I’m proud to work with you...and congratulations.”  Alexadra Hedison said, “Thank you so much. I had such a great time on The L Word. It was really, really such a positive experience.”

Before presenting the award, Margaret Cho, hilarious as always, described herself as, “A Bette with an Alice rising,” and talked about being obsessed with the show, and how protective she has become of the characters, adding that, “When Mark put those cameras up, I almost called the police!”

Ilene took the stage to another standing ovation, and then delivered a powerful, inspiring, heartwarming speech. She talked about when watching a movie and getting to the love part, how we as homosexuals always preform a little internal maneuver we’ve had to execute... “We transpose. Usually unconsciously, with very little effort, nonetheless, throughout our lives, we’ve translated, transposed, and reorganized hundreds of stories of heterosexual love to our own homosexual experience.”...giving the following example. “When Lauren Becall put the moves on Humphry Bogart in To Have And Have Not, well it was never that much of a stretch to really morph Lauren Becall into a sexy butch top, seducing some equally suave, submissive girl.” She spoke of how throughout time homosexuals have been such a big part in producing the love stories that entertain us all, yet how our own stories have been invisible. “Telling our stories is absolutely the most radical act and most pervasive. Our stories are far-reaching and life affirming.” When talking about Power Up, she noted that “Mentoring and collaboration, two of Power Ups cornerstones, are fundamental to the success of all our creative endeavors.” She also spoke of The L Words success, describing their collaborations as follows: “We workshop, debate, analyze process, resolve...and then process some more, in a way that only women can.” She continued by giving lots of credit to Showtime and its desire to help tell our stories. Ilene ended by stating that, “Having  finally begun to claim our place, front and center in the popular culture, we are not about to give it up.”

A full transcription will be coming soon after The L Word convention in London.

I have no doubt that the night was a success for Power Up. I know for me, it was an experience that was both exciting, nerve racking...and scarier that hell! Thanks Jacky for letting me represent you, and a web site that has truly become my online home.