First Queer Lion Awarded in Venice

VENICE, ITALY -- Ed Radtke's film Speed of Life won the Queer Lion award at the Venice Film Festival, a new prize for the best film that accurately portrays gay themes or characters.

Speed of Life tells the story of Sammer (Jeremy Allen White,) a gay 13 year old boy who escapes the streets of New York City by stealing video cameras from tourists. He and his friends retreat to their working class neighborhood of Brooklyn to quickly sell the cameras, but Sammer always keeps the tapes.

Alone in his bedroom and editing on a rack of stolen computers, Sammer explores this world of footage, infatuated by all the far away places and other people's seemingly happy lives. While slowly stashing enough money away so he, too, can travel to these distant places, Sammer must first deal with his older brother who is getting out of prison, while also caring for his ailing foster mother.

As Sammer and his gang skip school, camp on the rooftops of buildings or dream of being in the Olympics, they are confronted by a host of characters who stand in their way.

Find out more about the movie at www.emergingpictures.com