Oil City, Pennsylvania could be any small town in America. When a native son places his own same-sex wedding announcement in the local paper, the ensuing controversy takes him on a journey through love, hate and understanding in the heartland. With camera in-hand, he tangles with fundamentalist preachers, conservative politicians and school authorities, and follows the trials and
tribulations of a grassroots effort, spurred to action by the controversy, to promote diversity and tolerance in this conservative rural area. At the heart of the story is a courageous group of kids who refuse to be silent about violence and discrimination they have faced in area schools. Heartland USA
portrays, with emotion and candor from all sides, the struggle for LGBTQ justice and equality that is playing out around the country.
Read an article about the documentary in the
Oil City Derrick
.
