[♪♪] >> HELLO I'M BONNIE ERBE.

WELCOME TO TO THE CONTRARY YEAR'S FILM FESTIVAL CALLED ALL ABOUT WOMEN AND GIRLS.

AS A PLATFORM FOR FIRST TIME FILMMAKERS WE HIGHLIGHT THE BEST WORK IN FOUR CATEGORIES.

THEY ARE: CURRENT EVENTS ABOUT ADVANCING THE RIGHTS OF GIRLS, WOMEN OR DIVERSE COMMUNITIES IN THE U.S. CHANGING CULTURAL ATTITUDES ON GENDER FROM A WOMAN'S PERSPECTIVE.

>> U.S. WOMEN'S HISTORY AND THE STUDENT ENTRY CATEGORY.

WE BEGIN THIS WEEK WITH OUR STUDENT ENTRY GOOD MORNING MRS. RICE.

PRODUCED BY ANDIE EISEN.

IT IS A DOCUMENTARY-STYLE INVESTIGATION OF AN APPALACHIAN WIDOW WHO PAID ANOTHER WOMAN TO SLEEP IN HER BED FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS.

[♪♪] >> TELL ME THAT STORY AGAIN.

>> OK.

SO THE FIRST TIME I HEARD ABOUT MRS. RICE WE WERE ON A BUS TO NEW YORK CITY AND I WAS TRYING TO KEEP YOU AMUSED AND THE MONTH BEFOREHAND MY MOM HAD TOLD ME A FAMILY STORY.

AND IT GOES LIKE THIS... MY GREAT, GREAT GRAND MOTHER HER NAME WAS LAURABELL HARRIS AFTER HER HUSBAND DIED, HIRED A WOMAN NAMED MRS. RICE TO SHARE HER BED WITH HER FOR THE REST OF HER LIFE.

MY FAMILY, ESPECIALLY ON MY MOTHER'S SIDE IS HAD BEEN A BIT CLOSED ABOUT THEIR FAMILY HISTORIES BUT RECENTLY MY GRANDMOTHER HAS BECOME OPEN TO SHARING STORIES.

AND THIS ONE WAS PARTICULARLY WEIRD BECAUSE THEY GREW UP IN COAL COUNTRY IN EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA.

SO WE DECIDED THAT WE WERE GOING TO GO TO PITTSBURGH AND TRY TO FIND WHO MRS. RICE WAS.

WE DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING.

WE DIDN'T KNOW EVEN WHAT MRS. RICE'S FIRST NAME WAS AND WEREN'T SURE IF MY GRANDMOTHER WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THIS.

TO OUR LUCK, SHE DID.

>> FIRST THING I REMEMBER ABOUT MRS. RICE, IS SITTING ON THE SUN PORCH IN THIS LITTLE IT WAS JUST A HOUSE IN TAMAQUA.

THE DOORBELL RANG AND IN WALKED A LITTLE, SHORT, STURDY LADY.

AND MY GRANDMOTHER SAID HELLO MRS. RICE AND SHE SAID HELLO MRS. HARRIS.

AND FROM THEN ON, MRS. RICE CAME EVERY EVENING AROUND 7:00 P.M., RANG THE DOORBELL, SHE HAD A CAB THAT PICKED HER UP WHICH MY GRANDMOTHER PAID FOR.

NIGHT WOULD FALL, TIME TO GO TO BED.

THEY WOULD COME UPSTAIRS.

MRS. RICE WOULD LOOK UNDERNEATH THE DOUBLE BED IN THAT ROOM.

GOOD MRS. RICE GOOD NIGHT MRS. HARRIS.

THEY WENT INTO BED.

I WAS IN THE NEXT ROOM IF THERE WAS ANY HANKY PANKY I WOULD HAVE KNOWN.

>> DID YOU EVER KNOW WHY MRS. RICE WAS THERE?

ANY EXPLANATION?

>> NO, JUST GOOD MORNING.

>> I THINK MY GRANDMOTHER WANTED SOMEBODY TO SLEEP WITH HER.

BUT NOT IN A SEXUAL WAY.

I THINK IT WAS FEAR, I THINK SHE WAS A FEARFUL LADY.

SHE WAS TERRIBLY AFRAID OF LIGHTNING.

SHE WOULD HIDE IN A CLOSET.

>> LAURABELL'S UPBRINGING AND HOW SHE MET HER HUSBAND >> YES.

AND WHAT I KNOW, I JUST FOUND OUT YESTERDAY ALONG WITH YOU, TWO.

I WILL DO MY BEST TO -- SHE GREW UP VERY POOR.

SHE WAS ONE OF I THINK NANNA SAID 12 FROM WHAT I CAN TELL ONLY FOUR OR FIVE MAYBE SURVIVED.

SHE AND HER SISTERS WERE ALL VERY PRETTY.

AND DECIDED BECAUSE CERTAINLY IN THAT ERA WOMEN THAT WAS THE ONLY OPTION IF YOU WERE A WOMAN AND DID NOT HAVE MONEY YOU HAD TO MARRY UP.

AND LAURABELL, SET HER SIGHTS ON JOHN HARRIS WHO OWNED THE COURIER AND I BELIEVE MY GRANDMOTHER WASN'T BORN.

IT WAS A FEW YEARS AFTER THEY GOT MARRIED.

>> LAURABELL DID NOT HAVE HELEN UNTIL FOUR YEARS AFTER SHE WAS MARRIED WHICH WAS UNUSUAL FOR THE TIME.

>> BECAUSE FROM WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT LAURABELL SHE WAS NOT INTERESTED IN FAMILY OR KIDS OR SEX OR LOVE.

SHE REALLY JUST MARRIED FOR MONEY.

>> I DON'T KNOW.

ALL I KNOW IS THAT HER LIFE SEEMS TO NOT HAVE BEEN FILLED WITH A LOT OF EMOTION OR ATTACHMENT OR THAT I CAN SAY FOR SURE.

I HAVE NO IDEA WHY.

WE CAN ONLY GUESS.

BUT CERTAINLY MRS. RICE BRINGS A CERTAIN SOMETHING TO THE STORY.

>> AT ANY RATE, LAURABELL MARRIED JOHN.

THEY HAD A BABY.

NOW, HOW LAURABELL GOT PREGNANT IS PROBABLY -- HE PROBABLY RAPED HER AS FAR AS I KNOW.

NO.

HE WAS TOO KIND A MAN.

BUT HE PROBABLY SAID YOU KNOW, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.

>> SHE SAID SOMETHING NANNA SAID SOMETHING LIKE SO EVENTUALLY HE WHATEVER FORCED HER TO -- LIKE RAPE HER SHE SAID -- I DON'T KNOW THAT SHE KNOWS THIS, SHE MAY BE OFFERING HER OWN TAKE ON IT.

AND SHE COULD BE RIGHT WE'LL NEVER KNOW FOR SURE.

>> AT ANY RATE SHE GOT PREGNANT AND MY MOTHER WAS BORN IN 1910.

MY GRANDMOTHER DRANK ONLY SUGAR WATER DURING HER PREGNANCY BECAUSE SHE DID NOT WANT TO GAIN WEIGHT AND SHE HAD A LITTLE BABY TWO-AND-A-HALF POUNDS.

AND SHE TRIED TO STRANGLE HER WHEN SHE WAS BORN.

WHICH RESULTED IN MY MOTHER'S LEFT SIDE BEING PARALYZED PRETTY MUCH PARALYZED.

SHE DRAGGED HER FOOT AND HER HAND WAS LIKE THIS.

THEY DIAGNOSED THAT AS POLIO.

AND ONE OF THE TREATMENTS WAS TO BREAK THE BONES AND STRAIGHTEN THEM WHICH MOST -- MUST HAVE BEEN HORRIBLE AND AND MY MOTHER DID NOT TALK ABOUT IT MUCH.

>> HER MOTHER MUCH KNOWN SHE DID NOT HAVE POLIO AND STILL LET THEM BREAK HER LEGS?

>> IN FACT, I DON'T KNOW MAYBE SHE DID GO TO THAT MAGICAL PLACE IN YOUR BRAIN WHERE YOU ERASE WHAT YOU DID.

AND THAT IS THE BEST CASE SCENARIO IS THAT SHE FOOLED HERSELF INTO THAT.

OR SHE JUST WAS COLD AND CALCULATING AND SAID THAT WORKS, POLIO, YEAH SHE'S GOT POLIO.

I HONESTLY DON'T KNOW.

AND MY GRANDMOTHER DID NOT KNOW UNTIL SHE WAS IN HER 50s AND FOUND OUT FROM THE DOCTOR IN PHILADELPHIA THAT SHE NEVER HAD POLIO AND IT WAS A TRAM DICK BIRTH INJURY QUOTE-UNQUOTE.

>> TRAUMATIC BIRTH INJURY, QUOTE-UNQUOTE.

>> THE WHOLE FAMILY TREE IS CONFUSING.

EXPLAIN IT TO ME >> YES.

HERE IS THE FAMILY TREE.

THERE'S LAURABELL WHO IS MY GREAT, GREAT GRANDMOTHER.

SHE PAID MRS. RICE TO BE HER COMPANION.

THEN LAURABELL HAD HELEN, MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER.

WHO LAURABELL TRIED TO STRANGLE WHEN SHE WAS A BABY.

THEN HELEN HAD NANCY, MY GRANDMOTHER WHO WE'VE TALKED TO.

NANCY HAD EMILY, MY MOTHER AND EMILY HAD ME.

AND EVERYONE IN THE FAMILY TREE ALL THE WOMEN HAD HUSBANDS BUT THE HUSBANDS DON'T MATTER MUCH IN THE STORY.

YOU CAN SEE THE TOLSTOY QUOTE.

>> WHAT IS THAT TOLSTOY QUOTE?

ALL HAPPY FAMILIES ARE ALIKE BUT UNHAPPY FAMILIES HAVE DIFFERENCES.

THAT IS THE ORIGINAL RUSSIAN TRANSLATION NOT THAT MANY PEOPLE KNOW.

[LAUGHTER] >> MY FATHER WHO WAS SON OF A COAL MINER HE WAS QUITE GOOD LOOKING.

LIKE HAIR DONE LIKE FITZGERALD, F SCOTT PULLED RIGHT BACK.

MET MY MOTHER.

THEY -- SHE FELL IN LOVE.

HE WAS LOOKING QUOTE FOR THE RICHEST GIRL IN TAMAQUA.

THEY ELOPED TO MARYLAND, WERE MARRIED.

CAME BACK TO HER HOUSE IN TAMAQUA TO ANNOUNCE THIS.

AND THIS WAS A BIG SECRET.

AND THEY OPENED THE DOOR AND SAID THEY WERE MARRIED AND MY GRANDMOTHER THREW A WET DISH RAG AT MY FATHER.

>> THIS IS AGAIN MY GRANDMOTHER HELEN.

AS SHE GOT OLDER AND AFTER MY GRANDFATHER DIED I'M NOT SURE HOW THIS STARTED BUT SHE STARTED MAKING AS WE CALLED THEM GRANDMA'S CHRISTMAS BALLS THESE ELABORATE THINGS STYROFOAM BALLS, YOU CAN GET AT A CRAFT STORE, AND I HAVE MORE.

SO THEY ARE NOT LIGHT THEY ARE HEAVY.

SO YOU ONLY NEED A FEW OF THEM TO SORT OF ACCENT A TREE.

BUT I GREW UP WE PROBABLY HAD 75 OF THEM ON A TREE AND THE BRANCHES WERE LIKE... AND SO SHE DID THIS AND SAID SHE WOULD SELL THEM AND SHE SAID WITH THE PROFITS SHE WOULD GO TO LAS VEGAS TO SEE LIBERACE AND SHE LOVED, LOVED, LOVED LIBERACE.

ENTERTAINING BUT IT WAS JUST LIKE GLAMOUR TO HER.

[♪♪] >> WHAT IS THE STORY HOW LIBERACE DIED?

>> LIBERACE AS WE ALL KNOW, VERY GAY AND UNFORTUNATELY CONTRACTED AIDS.

BUT THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLIC LIST SI SUICIDE FOR HIM BECAUSE HIS FAN BASE WAS COMPOSED OF WOMEN LIKE MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER WHO WERE ABSOLUTELY OBLIVIOUS TO THE FACT THAT HE WAS GAY.

SO HIS PUBLICIST PUT TOGETHER A STORY THAT HE DIED OF ANEMNA FROM -- ANEMIA BECAUSE HE WAS ON A WATERMELON DIET.

SO LIBERACE DIED FROM A WATERMELON OVERDOSE.

>> THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH.

>> SO I GREW UP WITH MRS. RICE.

AND SHE WENT TO PARTIES WITH MY GRANDMOTHER.

SHE WOULD COME FOR THANKSGIVING DINNER.

>> WOULD HER HUSBAND COME?

>> I DON'T KNOW WHERE Mr. RICE WAS.

[LAUGHTER] I HAVE NO -- MAYBE SOMEWHERE.

I HAVE NO IDEA.

THERE NEVER WAS A Mr. RICE.

HOWEVER, SHE HAD A SON, GARY, WHO WAS IN MY HIGH SCHOOL CLASS.

AND GARY WAS PROBABLY 5'2" AND HE HAD A REALLY NICE TENOR VOICE AND I HAD A GOOD SOPRANO VOICE SO WE WERE ALWAYS THE STARS.

OUT CAME NANCY MILLER, 5'8" AND OUT CAME MY LOVER, GARY RICE AT 5'2", AND PEOPLE, I MEAN, WE SANG VERY WELL TOGETHER.

YOU KNOW, WE'D DO A GOOD DUET.

AND THERE WAS MRS. RICE'S GRANDSON.

>> WHAT WAS HIS NAME?

>> GARRISON E RICE >> NOW, WE HAD A NAME OF A DIRECT DESCENDANT OF MRS. RICE THROUGH THE HELP OF ANCESTRY.COM WE COULD TRACE HIS LINEAGE AND FOUND MRS. RICE.

>> HE DIED EARLIER THAN SHE DID WHICH WOULD EXPLAIN WHY SHE WAS TAKING A CAB.

>> HER ADDRESS WAS LISTED IN A ADDRESS BOOK THAT MY GRANDFATHER KEPT FOR WEDDING INVITATIONS.

>> I WONDER IF SHE LIVES THERE.

CAN WE KNOCK ON THE DOOR.

>> WE RENTED A CAR AND SET OFF.

>> THAT LOOKS GREAT.

>> YOU WANT A RIDE?

[♪♪] [♪♪] >> I GUESS WHEN WE WERE DRIVING WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WHAT WAS THE TRUTH, WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED.

AND I MEAN, REALISTICLY THERE IS NO WAY OF KNOWING WHAT HAPPENED.

YOU AND I ARE BOTH QUEER PEOPLE.

SO WE BOTH DON'T WANT TO ASSUME THAT THEY WERE LOVERS AND MRS. RICE AND LAURABELL HARRIS WERE MORE THAN BED COMPANIONS.

BUT IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO KNOW.

AND EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY ESPECIALLY ON THE MOTHER'S SIDE OF MY FAMILY EMBELLISHES AND WE ALREADY NOTICE INCONSISTENCIES IN THE STORY THAT MY GRANDMOTHER HAS TOLD AND MY MOTHER HAS TOLD IMPOSSIBLE TO TELL.

YOU AND I BOTH WANT IT TO BE TRUE BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT IS NOT TRUE.

BECAUSE IT COULD BE SPUN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS AND AS LAURABELL HARRIS AND MRS. RICE'S HISTORY THAT THEY CREATED TOGETHER.

AND IT WOULD BE RUDE OF US TO IMPOSE ENTIRELY QUEER AGENDA ON THEIR LIVES.

>> THAT IS LIKE HOW ABRAM LINCOLN HE HAD JOHN SPEED AND THEY SLEPT IN THE SAME BED FOR FOUR YEARS.

ABE LINCOLN IS 8 FEET TALL WHY WOULD HE SHARE A TWIN BED WITH ANOTHER MAN.

>> BECAUSE ABRAM LINCOLN WAS A TOTAL... >> YOU SHOULD CUT THERE.

>> THIS FAMILY HISTORY INTERESTED ME BECAUSE LIKE FIRST I'M SO CLOSE TO YOU, WE'VE LIVED TOGETHER FOR SO LONG THAT IT WAS FUNNY TO US.

>> ONE YEAR LITERALLY IN THE SAME ROOM.

>> LIKE BURT AND EARN ANY.

>> IN TWO TWIN BEDS.

SO WHATEVER HAPPENED, I'VE MEN'S RESPECT FOR MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER IN THE SENSE BECAUSE SHE DID THE IMPOSSIBLE.

AND LIVED THE LAST YEARS OF HER LIFE WITH SOMEONE THAT SHE REALLY LIKED EVEN IF SHE PAID HER.

SO THE FIRST THING WE DID WHEN WE GOT TO TAMAQUA WAS GO TO THE ADDRESS THAT WE HAD FOR Mr. AND MRS. FRANK RICE.

NO ONE WAS HOME.

SO WE WERE WANDERING AROUND THE BACK AND RANG THE DOORBELL AND SAW ACROSS THE LAWN A NEIGHBOR WAS EYEING US SUSPICIOUSLY.

HERE IS SOMEONE.

WE ASKED HER WHERE THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE HOUSE WERE?

AND SHE SAID TWO WOMEN LIVED THERE BUT THEY ARE PROBABLY OUT BECAUSE IT'S SUNDAY.

>> I WANT TO MEET THEM.

>> I WANT TO MEET THEM SO BADLY.

I GUESS WE'LL HAVE TO COME BACK.

>> WE'LL COME BACK LATER.

>> OK. >> SO YOU AND I EXCITEDLY WROTE A NOTE THAT BRIEFLY EXPLAINED THE PROJECT AND ASKED IF THEY WANTED TO BE INTERVIEWED BECAUSE WE WOULD BE AROUND TAMAQUA FOR THE DAY AND WE DROVE OFF.

AND WE WENT TO THE CEMETERY.

FINDING THE RISES WAS -- RICE'S WAS DIFFICULT BECAUSE RICE IS A COMMON NAME AND THE CEMETERY IS BIG.

>> STOP DANCING.

>> SO YOU AND I GAVE UP AFTER HALF AN HOUR AND DROVE -- WE WERE DRIVING DOWN THIS EXIT RAMP UNTIL YOU SAID STOP.

>> WE FOUND IT.

>> MAYBE WE DIDN'T.

>> IS THAT IT?

>> THAT'S IT!

THAT'S IT.

OK.

THIS IS THE WORST PLACE TO PULL OVER.

FRANK AND ANNE ANY.

WE FOUND FRANK AND ANNE ANY THAT IS THEM.

AND I'M RECORDING AUDIO RIGHT NOW.

WE DID IT.

>> WE HAVE TO FIND OUT WHO LIVES IN THE HOUSE NOW.

THEY NEVER GOT BACK TO US.

AND HERE WE ARE MONTHS LATER AND WE HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING.

AND WE'LL PROBABLY NEVER KNOW WHO THE PEOPLE ARE THAT LIVE IN THIS HOUSE.

THE TWO WOMEN WHOEVER THEY ARE, WHO THEY ARE INVISIBLE TO US AND THEY DO NOT WANT ANY PART IN THE HISTORY WE ARE WRITING ABOUT, LAURABELL AND MRS. RICE.

AND WE HAVE TO RESPECT THAT.

WHY DID WE GO BACK TO TAMAQUA?

>> I FELT LIKE AFTER WE HAD FILMED WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE ANY CLOSURE.

WITH MRS. RICE.

AND I THINK WE HAD TO TAKE SOMETIME TO LET ALL OF THE STORIES SINK IN AND REALIZE WHAT WE WERE AND WEREN'T GOING TO FIND.

AND GOING OVER THE FOOTAGE I REALIZED -- >> I DON'T LIKE WHAT YOU JUST SAID.

SAY IT AGAIN.

>> WHAT?

WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO BE SAYING?

I DIDN'T KNOW HOW DESPERATELY I WANTED THIS STORY UNTIL I STARTED LOOKING FOR IT.

>> WHAT ABOUT THE SENSE OF SAD ABOUT IT?

>> I WANTED AN EXCUSE TO BE CLOSE TO YOU, MILLER.

THAT IS ALL THIS WAS.

I AM IN LOVE WITH YOU.

>> NO.

>> YOU ARE NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO ME.

>> YOU ARE NOT IN LOVE WITH ME.

YOU'VE BECOME SO INVESTED IN THIS PROJECT I'VE NEVER SEEN YOU WORKING THIS HARD.

BUT I THOUGHT LIKE AFTER THE FIRST TIME WE WENT TO TAMAQUA I THOUGHT WE HAD SEEN ALL WE NEEDED TO SEE BUT WE WENT BACK A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.

WHY DID WE DO THAT?

>> I KNEW MAKING THIS FILM THAT I PROBABLY WOULDN'T FIND ANYTHING.

AND WHEN I SAW THE TWO WOMEN WERE LIVING THERE, I THOUGHT FINALLY WE ARE GETTING THE LESBIANS WE THOUGHT WE WOULD FIND THIS WHOLE TIME.

AND IT SEEMED LIKE SUCH A PERFECT ENDING.

AND WE DIDN'T GET IT.

I WANTED TO IN SOME WAYS DISCOVER A PIECE OF QUEER HISTORY THAT DID NOT EXIST BEFORE.

AND WE ARE ALWAYS SO DESPERATELY SEEKING TO SEE OURSELVES IN SOMETHING.

AND TO FEEL FULL ABOUT IT AND TO FEEL LIKE WE ARE CONNECTED.

I AM OK WITH THE FACT THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO GET IT BUT I WANTED TO COME BACK AND ALMOST THANK HER FOR WHAT SHE WAS.

JUST GIVING ME KIND OF THIS DRIVE AND THIS PURPOSE TO BE FINDING SOMETHING.

[♪♪] >> WE HOPE YOU FOUND THIS EDITION OF OUR ALL ABOUT WOMEN AND GIRLS FILM FESTIVAL ENLIGHTENING.

PLEASE FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER AND VISIT OUR WEBSITE, PBS.ORG/TOTHECONTRARY.

AND WHETHER YOU AGREE OR THINK TO THE CONTRARY, SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

SEE AN ON-LINE VERSION OF THIS EPISODE OF TO THE CONTRARY VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT PBS.ORG/TOTHECONTRARY.