Overflow Audience for Lily Tomlin-voiced Bullying Film

Actress and comedienne Lily Tomlin attended the premiere screening of a documentary she narrated, Teach Your Children Well, at the Art Theatre in Long Beach Sunday evening, as did the film's director.

Tomlin spoke of the importance of expanding the reach of the film.  "Bullying and its tragic consequences affect so many children," Tomlin said.

"Every school day thousands of young people who identify as either lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender face harassment, bullying, and even violence for simply being who they are," said a statement by Artful Thinking Organization, a Long Beach non-profit whose programs will be benefited by a fundraiser prior to the screening. Artful engages in creative artful events aimed at educating the public about HIV/AIDS and Breast Cancer. They added, "The documentary film Teach Your Children Well focuses its attention on the challenging issues of homophobia and violence in our schools as directed against our L-G-B-T youth. The primary desire with this project is to change the consciousness that leads our children to commit acts of violence, by teaching acceptance and respect for the right of others to be who they are."

Lawrence King, 15, was shot to death in his computer class in Oxnard for being gay by a classmate. His killer was 14.

This boy's murder is the centerpiece of the film’s focus: violence in our schools and in particular as it is directed to GLBT youth. Larry’s story is used to explore the troubled mindset that could justify such tragic behavior; and how by ignoring the warning signs we give tacit approval to the perpetrators. We will look at the challenge we face as a society to bring about a change in consciousness that will facilitate respect, understanding, and self-acceptance among our youth, and the film presents some of the latest solution-oriented thinking on these critical issues.

Long Beach Vice-Mayor Suja Lowenthal also spoke before the packed house saying, "Silence is collusion. Any one of us that is silent when another is bullied is complicit. We must teach our children to stand up for one another."

The screening was sold out at the recently renovated independent theater, co-owned by a Belmont Shore family, which hosts a sizable number of charity events for the community.

The fundraiser took place before the screening at Lola's Mexican Restaurant across the street from the movie theater.