Chely Wright: Wish Me Away

B-level country star Chely Wright moved into the “A” category when she became the first country music star in history to publicly come out as gay. It didn’t help her sell more records, but it certainly got her a heap more mail from hateful, homophobic “fans.” In this award-winning doc by Bobbi Birleffi and Beverly Kopf, Wright’s journey to freedom is chronicled over a three year period and is filled with touching and insightful personal moments, as well as supportive testimonials from fellow musicians like Rodney Crowell. While the quote from friend Rev. C. Welton Gaddy is certainly true—”There's nobody quite as mean as people being mean for Jesus”—Wright’s courage and conviction win out in this powerful portrait of a woman dealing with one of the most controversial issues of our time.

Tue., July 3, 9 p.m., 2012

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