Coming Out Story

The directors of the documentary Wish Me Away talk about following country singer Chely Wright's coming out story,

By Glenn Gullickson

Photo by Jon Eric Volz

A Country Coming Out

Filmmakers followed Nashville singer songwriter Chely Wright's journey for the documentary Wish Me Away

For Chely Wright, it was a countdown to coming out as the country music star timed her big announcement to make a multi-media splash.

Along the way, filmmakers Bobbie Birleffi and Beverly Kopf recorded Wright's emotional journey. Their documentary, Wish Me Away, will be screened Jan. 27 as the opening night film of the Desperado LGBT Film Festival.

The film deals with Wright's struggle to tell the secret she had concealed in exchange for having a career in Nashville. "We were dealing with someone who had been hiding her entire adult life, sort of hiding in plain sight," Kopf said during a telephone interview.

The pressure of leading a double life took its toll, and Wright decided that she would become the first country music artist to come out.

It would be a courageous step because of Nashville's institutionalized homophophia that that the filmmakers said is akin to Don't Ask, Don't Tell. In Nashville, "you can't come out in public," Birleffi said. "She broke that rule."

Before making the film, Birleffi and Kopf said they weren't fans of country music and were unaware of Wright, who had made a name for herself with hits like "Single White Female," "Jezebel" and "Shut Up and Drive." The film took its title from another of Wright's songs.

But Wright had seen the Logo TV show Be Real, which tells stories about gays and lesbians that Birleffi and Kopf had worked on. The singer approached the filmmakers.

"She basically found us," Kopf said. "In one evening, when we met, we were sold on her and her story."

Kopf said that making the film was "daunting ... for all of us." Complicating the project was the fact that as an independent film, the filmmakers had to raise money without being able to tell investors who would be the subject of the movie. The situation prevented the filmmakers from applying for grants.

The film traces Wright's career, her desire to be a country star and her fear of being outed. She learned to avoid questions about her sexuality as she dated men while having secret relationships with women.

In the film, Wright tells her spiritual adviser the story about hitting bottom with a suicide attempt.

Interviews with Wright's sister and father are a big part of the film, but Birleffi and Kopf said that the singer didn't provide them with access to her mother, since that relationship was strained.

"We kind of went there anyway," Kopf said, noting that an awkward interview with Wright's mother was necessary to fill out the picture. As documentary filmmakers, "you find yourself in situations you can only describe as uncomfortable," she said.

The filmmakers said that those who see the movie will identify with the story of an unsupportive relative. "That made her more relatable," Kopf said.

Wright also tells the story through video diaries, often tearful confessionals as her coming out date approached. The filmmakers said they didn't know the recordings existed until Wright turned over 20 videos one day.

Preparing the movie took on qualities of covering news, as the filmmakers said the story frequently changed. Wright got a book deal to tell her story, but with the stipulation that the coming out couldn't occur before the book was ready to be published. That delayed the announcement for a year, the filmmakers said.

"It was an unfolding process," Birleffi said. "It took a lot of guts to go through it."

The filmmakers said they didn't anticipate the media attention that the book, Like Me, would trigger when it was released in May 2010. When Wright made her coming out announcement on The Today Show, Birleffi and Kopf had access to the set. Wright also made appearances on Oprah and Ellen.

The filmmakers said it was fascinating to watch Wright's progress and they wondered how the singer would change after coming out.

"Chely did not change in her appearance or demeanor as much as she lighted up," Birleffi said.

"She blossomed," Kopf said. "She's the same person only more so."

The film has been on the festival circuit since last summer. It won Best Documentary awards at film festivals in Los Angeles and Nashville.

Since the film started screening, Wright married Lauren Blitzer. But Nashville seems to have abandoned the out country star, even while she has embraced LGBT causes.

Kopf said the Wright had been classified as an "accomplished artist," perhaps poised on the brink of country superstardom. By coming out, Wright "took a big hit," Kopf said. "She sort of understood all of this when she did this."

"It's wholly up to Chely what her future is," Birleffi said. "She's a terrific leader. She's a fabulous songwriter and performer. I would hope she would always be with us as a singer and songwriter. You just can't take country out of that girl."

Wish Me Away recently was picked up for theatrical release, and the filmmakers are hopeful that it will be in theaters in the spring.

Besides working together, Birleffi and Kopf have been partners in life for 18 years. Wish Me Away was their first full-length movie together. They're based in New York City and are currently working on a project of short films on each of Broadway's 40 theaters. -E

Wish Me Away will be screened at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 27.