>> BONNIE: HELLO, I'M BONNIE ERBE.

WELCOME TO TO THE CONTRARY'S YEARLY FILM FESTIVAL, ALL ABOUT WOMEN AND GIRLS.

AS A PLATFORM FOR NEW 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 US; CHANGING CULTURAL ATTITUDES ABOUT GENDER FROM A WOMAN'S PERSPECTIVE; AND U.S. WOMEN'S HISTORY; AND FINALLY, STUDENT ENTRIES.

THIS WEEK'S WINNER IS FROM THE CATEGORY, CHANGING CULTURAL ATTITUDES ON GENDER.

"““LOVE WINS"”” COMES FROM FILMMAKER, ROBIN KAMPF.

IT'S THE INTIMATE AND TOUCHING TALE OF TWO WOMEN WHO ARE IN THEIR 80S WHO MET, AND FELL IN LOVE DURING A TIME WHERE THAT WAS STRICTLY TABOO.

>> EMILY SONNESSA: WE ARE A PAIR OF WOMEN THAT FELL IN LOVE TOGETHER MANY YEARS AGO, AND OUGHT TOGETHER, GOT MARRIED, AND WENT THROUGH A WONDERFUL LIFE WITH SOME HARDSHIPS.

JAN MOORE: WE'RE TWO WOMEN THAT EVOLVED IN A TIME THAT WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO DO.

>> SCOTT MOORE: THEY FELL IN LOVE BASED ON LOVING EACH OTHER FOR WHO THEY REALLY ARE.

JAN MOORE: I THINK WE DEVELOPED A NICE FRIENDSHIP.

SHE SAID I CHASED HER, BUT I REALLY LIKED HER AS A PERSON.

>> EMILY: YOU CAN CHASE A NICE PERSON.

I'M EMILY.

WE'VE BEEN TOGETHER FOR 35-45 YEARS.

THERE I GO.

THERE'S- SEE THAT?

IS THAT CRAZY?

ALRIGHT.

45 YEARS, AND WE GOT MARRIED LAST YEAR, WHEN IT WAS OKAY IN NEW JERSEY.

>> JAN: I'M JAN MOORE.

I'M MARRIED- >> EMILY: SPEAK UP.

>> JAN: I'M MARRIED TO EMILY, THE CLOWN NEXT TO ME, AND, UH, WE'VE HAD A WONDERFUL, INTERESTING JOURNEY FOR THE LAST 45 YEARS.

AND WE'RE FINALLY MARRIED.

FINALLY.

FINALLY.

>> ARLENE: YOU KNOW, I LOOK AT JAN, AND, LIKE, I GUESS I WOULD LOOK AT ANY, ANY COUPLE THAT'S BEEN TOGETHER FOR 45 YEARS.

THEY BICKER, BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN TOGETHER FOR 45 YEARS.

THEY LOVE ONE ANOTHER BECAUSE THEY'RE STILL TOGETHER AFTER 45 YEARS.

>> JANICE: WE'RE TWO, UH, LESBIANS WHO FELL MADLY IN LOVE.

I WAS MARRIED AND FELL IN LOVE WITH EMILY AND SHE DIDN'T KNOW IT.

>> EMILY: WELL, AS A CHILD GROWING UP, WE, WE WERE, I WOULD SAY, THE POOR SIDE; WE DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF MONEY.

WAS A FAMILY OF EIGHT CHILDREN, AND MY FATHER WAS A BANANA PUSHER.

HE SOLD BANANAS AND FRUIT IN THE STREET MARKET.

SO, WE TRIED TO DO WHAT WE COULD THE CHEAPEST WAY.

I WAS A CRAZY KID, I WOULD HAVE TO SAY.

I WAS A TOMBOY, I PLAYED BASEBALL IN THE STREETS, THOUGH AT THAT TIME IT WAS CALLED "““STICK BALL"””.

I REALLY, UH, NEVER PLAYED WITH DOLLS.

I WASN'T GIRLY GIRLY.

>> JAN: I WAS BORN IN 1936, AND AS FAR BACK AS I REMEMBER, I WAS HEADSTRONG; I WAS A DEFIANT LITTLE KID.

GROWING UP, I WAS A BIT OF A TOMBOY, I WASN'T PARTICULARLY HAPPY AS A CHILD, I ALWAYS FELT KIND OF ALONE.

I WAS ADOPTED.

ADOPTION, TO ME, WAS REJECTION FROM MY BIOLOGICAL MOTHER.

INTELLECTUALLY, I COULD ALWAYS DEAL WITH IT.

EMOTIONALLY, I COULDN'T.

>> EMILY: WELL, I STARTED FEELING... FEELINGS FOR WOMEN, I'D HAVE TO SAY, OF COURSE, I GUESS MOST CHILDREN DO, IN SCHOOL.

OKAY, TWO TEACHERS, THERE WAS ONE IN PARTICULAR I HAD VERY FOND AFFECTION FOR.

NEVER DEVELOPED OF COURSE INTO ANYTHING OR SHOWED IT IN ANY WAY OTHER THAN BEING A GOOD STUDENT.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THE BEST I COULD BE FOR HER.

AND I STARTED REALIZING I HAD MORE FEELINGS FOR WOMEN THAN I HAD FOR MEN.

MOST OF MY FRIENDS IN SCHOOL, AT THAT AGE, WERE ALL STRAIGHT.

THERE WAS NOBODY I KNEW THAT WAS GAY.

IN MY HEAD, I WAS WONDERING WHAT WAS WRONG WITH ME, BECAUSE I DIDN'T CARE THAT MUCH ABOUT GOING ON DATES WITH GUYS.

I KNEW IN THE FAMILY THAT I CAME FROM, I COULDN'T COME OUT, OR BE OUT WITH, OR TALK TO THEM ABOUT.

AGAIN, THERE WAS NOBODY I COULD TALK TO.

IT WAS ALMOST LIKE I BURIED THAT IN MY HEAD, MY HEART.

THE ONLY THINGS I HAD A CRUSH ON SOMEBODY, MAYBE, EARLIER IN SCHOOL OR WHEREVER, BUT I JUST LIVED WITH THAT.

I LIVED THE LIFE I HAD, AND THAT WAS IT.

>> JAN: I DIDN'T HAVE ANY GAY FEELINGS, BUT I REMEMBER, I COULDN'T HAVE BEEN ANY MORE THAN EIGHT OR NINE YEARS OLD, AND WE WERE UP IN BEAR MOUNTAIN, AND I HEARD A LITTLE GIRL SAY TO HER MOTHER, "““LOOK AT THAT BOY OVER THERE!

"”” AND, I LOOKED AROUND BECAUSE I WAS WONDERING WHO SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT, AND HER MOTHER SAID, "““THAT'S NOT A BOY.

THAT'S A LITTLE GIRL.

"”” "““WELL, WHY DOES SHE LOOK LIKE A BOY?

"”” AND THAT BOTHERED ME.

MY MOTHER WAS AN ARDENT READER, AND SHE WAS ALWAYS GIVING ME BOOKS TO READ, AND ONE OF THEM WAS "““THE WELL OF LONELINESS"””.

AND SHE SAID TO ME, "““DID YOU READ IT?

"”” AND I SAID, "““I READ IT, BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT.

"”” SHE SAID, "““WHAT DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?

"”” I SAID, "““THE WHOLE THING.

"”” SHE SAID, "““THEN YOU WASTED YOUR TIME.

"”” I SAID, "““WELL, CAN WE TALK ABOUT IT?

"”” SHE SAYS, "““NO.

YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND IT.

"”” AND I LET IT GO.

I THINK MY MOTHER PROBABLY GAVE ME THAT BOOK, BECAUSE MY MOTHER WAS WISER THAN I REALIZED.

IT FINALLY DAWNED ON MY DUMB HEAD THAT MY MOTHER KNEW, AND I DIDN'T.

>> EMILY: THEN, I GOT OLDER, OF COURSE, AND HAD TO GO WORK AFTER SCHOOL.

I WORKED AT MACY'S AS A TECHNICIAN IN THE TESTING CENTER.

IN MY MIND, I JUST KEPT THINKING "““I'M GONNA MEET A WOMAN ONE DAY THAT WE'RE BOTH GOING TO FEEL THE SAME WAY.

"”” AND I MET SOMEONE THERE, FINALLY, AND SHE WAS NEVER GAY BEFORE.

SHE HAD NO FEELINGS FOR WOMEN, SHE SAID, BUT SHE WAS ATTRACTED TO ME AND... MADE ADVANCES TOWARDS ME, AND WE GOT TOGETHER AND WE WERE GOING TOGETHER.

NOBODY KNEW, THEY ASSUMED SHE WAS JUST MY BEST FRIEND.

FAMILY WASN'T AWARE.

I SLEPT AT HER HOUSE, SHE SLEPT AT MY HOUSE, AND IT WENT ON FOR EIGHT YEARS.

>> JAN: I HAD A GREAT HUSBAND.

NICE GUY.

HE WAS A PHD OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY AND HE PUT UP WITH MY NONSENSE, AND IF YOU SAW THE MOVIE, "““THE WAY WE WERE"””, THAT'S DONALD AND I. I WAS A RAVING LIBERAL AND DONALD WAS A CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN TO THE DAY HE DIED.

I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE MARRIED, I ALWAYS WANTED TO HAVE CHILDREN, THIS WAS A BIG THING IN LIFE TO ME.

>> EMILY: WE WENT TO CLUBS WHEN I WAS A LITTLE OLDER AND WE WENT TO CLUBS THAT YOU WERE HOPING NOBODY AGAIN WOULD SEE YOU THERE, RECOGNIZE YOU.

WE WENT TO CLUBS WHEN POLICE RAIDED THE CLUBS.

I WAS IN TWO RAIDS THAT I CAN REMEMBER.

POLICE AT THAT TIME WERE REALLY, VERY, VERY MEAN, NASTY AND INSULTING.

THEY WERE LINING EVERYONE UP AT THE CLUB, AND THEY WOULD ASK FOR YOUR PAPERS, LICENSE, ANY IDENTIFICATION AND WOULD MAKE REMARKS TO EVERYBODY.

"““DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW WHAT YOU DO?

HOW ABOUT YOUR FATHER?

WHAT IS HE LIKE?

"”” AND THEN WE WOULD BE LET GO, WHICH WE WOULD SAY, "““OH MY GOD, THEY GO CALL MY FATHER, I'LL BE DEAD!

THAT'S IT!

"”” BUT THAT'S THE FEELING, THAT'S THE WAY IT WAS AT THAT TIME.

I JUST HAD TWO LIVES.

I LIVED THE ONE THAT I WAS STRAIGHT WITH WONDERFULLY.

I REALLY DID, I ENJOYED THAT.

AND THEN I LIVED THIS ONE, THE GAY ONE, THE SAME WAY.

I LEFT MACY'S AND WENT TO WORK AT A COMPANY CALLED JP STEPHENS, IN NEW YORK.

I WAS A LABORATORY TECHNICIAN AND THEN I MET JAN'S HUSBAND.

I WORKED WITH HER HUSBAND, THAT'S HOW I MET JAN TO BEGIN WITH.

ONE DAY WE WERE LEAVING WORK AT THE END OF THE DAY, AND WHEN I CAME OUT OF THE BUILDING, THERE WAS THIS DARK, SUN-TAN, CUT-SHORT HAIR, WHITE SHIRT WITH THE COLLAR UP, SITTING ON THE WONDERFUL CADILLAC CONVERTIBLE.

AND I JUST LOOKED AT HER AND SHE LOOKED AT ME, AND IT WAS LIKE, THAT'S THE FIRST TIME I THINK SHE REALIZED IT, BUT SHE DIDN'T LET HERSELF KNOW IT.

AND AS WE WALKED AWAY, I SAID TO MY FRIEND, "““BERNICE, WHO'S THAT SITTING ON THE CAR?

"”” SHE SAID, "““OH, THAT'S DR. MOORE'S WIFE.

"”” AND UNDER MY BREATH, I SAID, "““THAT AIN'T NOBODY'S WIFE.

"”” AND THAT WAS THE FIRST.

>> JAN: SHE LOVES TELLING THIS STORY.

>> EMILY: THAT WAS MY FIRST ENCOUNTER.

>> JAN: THROUGH HIM, I MET EM, FELL IN LOVE, AND THAT'S BASICALLY WHEN MY LIFE BEGAN.

>> EMILY: I DIDN'T IMMEDIATELY FALL IN LOVE WITH JAN, BECAUSE SHE WAS MARRIED TO A DOCTOR AND I THOUGHT SHE WAS JUST FEELING- SPREADING HER WINGS IN ANOTHER DIRECTION JUST FOR THE HECK OF IT.

>> JAN: YOU DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHEN I LOVED YOU.

>> EMILY: YOU CHANGED ME, I KNEW THAT.

>> JAN: I DIDN'T CHANGE YOU.

>> EMILY: NO, YOU DID.

>> JAN: THAT'S THE STORY THAT YOU TELL EVERYBODY.

>> EMILY: YES, YOU DID.

>> JAN: THAT'S WHAT YOU TELL EVERYBODY.

I DIDN'T CHANGE YOU.

>> EMILY: YES, BECAUSE IT HAPPENED.

>> JAN: SHE WAS THE LIFE OF THE PARTY, AND I WAS CHASING THE LIFE OF THE PARTY.

AND SOME DAYS YOU'RE STILL THE LIFE OF THE PARTY.

>> EMILY: SOME DAYS... >> JAN: THE MORE WE BOWLED STUFF TOGETHER, I FELT THIS ATTRACTION AND...

THIS WAS BEFORE EMILY EVEN KNEW IT.

AND I WAS MARRIED TO DONALD, AND I THOUGHT, "““THIS IS CRAZY.

"”” >> EMILY: WE WENT TO THE BATHROOM, NOBODY WAS IN THE BATHROOM.

WE JUST KISSED EACH OTHER.

THAT WAS OUR FIRST KISS, AND... "““WOW.

OKAY.

"”” KIND OF SHOWED THAT THERE REALLY WAS SOMETHING THERE.

I STARTED GETTING FONDER OF HER, LIKING HER MORE, BUT I SAID, "““WHAT, AM I CRAZY?

SHE'S A MARRIED WOMEN, SHE'S MARRIED TO A DOCTOR WHO WAS ONE OF MY BOSSES, AND SHE SAYS THAT SHE'S NOT THAT HAPPY, JUST SOMEBODY.

A DOCTOR'S WIFE.

YOU KNOW, WANTS TO SEE WHAT THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RAINBOW LIVES LIKE.

"”” I DIDN'T WANT TO BREAK UP A HOME, I DIDN'T WANT TO BREAK UP SOMEBODY WITH THREE CHILDREN, SO I REALLY KEPT THINGS ON A LEVEL.

SO WE STARTED HAVING AN AFFAIR TOGETHER, AND THAT WAS THE BEGINNING OF OUR RELATIONSHIP, REALLY.

>> JAN: MY LIFE BEGAN WHEN I GOT MARRIED AND I HAD KIDS.

BUT I BEGAN TO LIVE MY LIFE WHEN I FELL IN LOVE WITH EMILY.

WE LIVED SUCH A STRAIGHT- >> EMILY: WE LIVED A STRAIGHT LIFE IN TOWN.

IN RUTHERFORD.

>> JAN: BECAUSE WE HAD THREE CHILDREN.

WE LIVED IN RUTHERFORD BECAUSE I HAD LIVED THERE PREVIOUSLY WITH MY HUSBAND, AND GETTING A DIVORCE, I DIDN'T WANT THE CHILDREN'S LIVES SO DISRUPTED, SO I KEPT THEM IN THE SAME SCHOOL SYSTEM.

WE.

LIVED.

CLOSETED.

WITHOUT A DOUBT, IT WAS THE MOST CLOSETED RELATIONSHIP.

I'M SURE PEOPLE KNEW; NOBODY SAID A WORD.

>> SCOTT MOORE: IT WAS A BIT OF AN ELEPHANT IN THE LIVING ROOM.

DESPITE THAT, THEY SHARED A BEDROOM.

I WAS KIND OF PROTECTING THE SECRET, AND IT WASN'T EVEN JUST, LIKE, I GOT SAT DOWN AND SAID, "““THIS IS A SECRET.

WE CAN'T TELL ANYBODY.

"”” NO, IT WAS EVEN A SECRET WITHIN THE HOUSE.

SO, IT'S LIKE SHAKESPEAREAN IN, "““THE LOVE THAT DARE-NOT SPEAK ITS NAME"””, YOU KNOW?

BUT I KNEW SINCE I WAS SEVEN.

>> ARLENE: IT MUST HAVE BEEN REALLY DIFFICULT FOR THEM, ALL OF THESE YEARS, TO HAVE CONCEALED SOMETHING SO INTIMATE AND PERSONAL ABOUT YOUR LIFE.

UM, I HAVE NO IDEA HOW DIFFICULT IT WAS.

>> SCOTT: ALL GAY COUPLES AT THE TIME WENT THROUGH IT, BUT WHEN YOU'RE RAISING A FAMILY, KIND OF CLOSETED IN A VERY UNPROGRESSIVE, WORKING-CLASS TOWN, IT'S, YOU KNOW, EVEN MORE OF A, "““DON'T TALK ABOUT IT"”” IN A STIGMA.

>> ARLENE: THERE WERE SO MANY CLUES, I JUST, I NEVER PICKED UP ON ANY OF THEM.

AUNTIE EM HAD A ROOMMATE, THAT WAS THE WAY I LOOKED AT IT.

>> SCOTT: SO, I KNEW, BUT IT WAS THE THING THAT I DIDN'T WANT TO SAY OUT LOUD.

BECAUSE, IN SOME WAYS I DIDN'T WANT IT TO BE TRUE BECAUSE IT WAS WEIRD; IT WASN'T MY ROMANTIC IDEA OF WHAT A FAMILY WAS.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE WERE A FAMILY, AND I WASN'T ASPIRING FOR MY MOM TO GO MARRY A MAN; I WANTED THE SECURITY AND LOVE OF A FAMILY, AND I GOT THAT.

AND IT'S NOT EASY, RAISING A FAMILY AS A GAY COUPLE AT A TIME WHERE THAT WAS BEYOND TABOO.

>> JAN: THERE WERE GOOD TIMES, THERE WERE ROUGH TIMES.

THERE WERE A LOT OF ROUGH TIMES.

THERE WAS A LOT OF PAIN INVOLVED.

A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PAIN AND WE WOULD LOOK AT EACH OTHER AND SAY, "““ITS YOU AND I AGAINST THE WORLD.

"”” >> EMILY: THAT'S THE TRUTH.

>> JAN: IT WAS ALWAYS LIKE THAT.

>> SCOTT: SHE FELL IN LOVE WITH THE PERSON, AND THE FACT THAT THE PERSON WAS A WOMAN, LIKE, ROCKED HER WORLD AND HER SENSE OF IDENTITY AND SENSE OF SELF.

A SENSE OF EVERYTHING.

>> JAN: I JUST WANTED TO BE ME, AND SOMEHOW I HAD A LONG, HARD PROBLEM OF JUST BEING ME.

>> SCOTT: IT JUST WASN'T THE CONVERSATION THAT THEY WERE READY TO HAVE.

AND AS TIME WENT ON, IT WASN'T THE KIND OF CONVERSATION I WAS READY TO HAVE FOR A LONG TIME.

BUT IT WAS JUST THE WAY IT WAS.

>> ARLENE: WE'VE NEVER DISCUSSED.

YOU KNOW, IT WAS NEVER IN THE OPEN, SO THERE WAS NEVER ANY DISCUSSION.

>> SCOTT: IT WAS THE THING YOU DIDN'T TALK ABOUT.

IT WAS THE THING YOU DID NOT TALK ABOUT.

>> JAN: WE HAD TWO LIVES.

"““I HAVE THREE CHILDREN AT HOME!

THEY'RE GONNA TAKE MY CHILDREN FROM ME!

"”” AND I REALLY BELIEVED THAT.

>> EMILY: THAT WAS A BIG CONCERN OF HERS.

>> JAN: ONCE I WAS IN THE GAY WORLD, YOU KNEW THAT THERE WERE RULES THAT YOU LIVE BY.

ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAD CHILDREN.

>> EMILY: SHE HAD NO RIGHTS.

I HAD NO RIGHTS.

THEN SHE HAD NO RIGHTS WITH THE CHILDREN, I HAD NO RIGHTS WITH HER.

BEING GAY SO MANY YEARS AGO, STUPID LITTLE THINGS.

YOU'D GO TO A WEDDING, AND YOU WANTED TO DANCE WITH YOUR PARTNER.

AND YOU COULDN'T, AND YOU WOULD SIT THERE AND YOU WOULD SAY, "““GOD, I WISH THAT WAS US.

"”” >> JAN: YOU THINK BACK, EM COULD HAVE LOST HER JOB.

EVERYBODY WE KNEW COULD HAVE LOST A JOB.

EM WANTED ONE WEEK A YEAR FOR US TO GO TO PROVINCETOWN.

WE WENT TO PROVINCETOWN, WE RAN HAND-IN-HAND IN THE RAIN, WE'D LAUGH, WE HELD EACH OTHER, WE WERE OPENLY IN LOVE, IT WAS WONDERFUL.

WE COME BACK TO REALITY, AND THERE ARE THREE CHILDREN.

BEING A PARENT AND TRYING TO LOVE EMILY, EQUALLY, IT WAS ROUGH.

IT WAS REALLY ROUGH.

WHEN WE AT LAST GOT MARRIED, WE MOVED DOWN HERE AND WE KIND OF BECAME OURSELVES.WE CAME DOWN HERE IN 1997, LIKE, "““OH!

I'M A LESBIAN!

"”” 1997!

SO IT TOOK A LONG TIME.

THERE WAS SUCH A LARGE GAY GROUP IN TOWN THAT IF YOU GOT INVITED TO A POTLUCK, YOU STARTED TO BUILD FRIENDS.

AND OUR FRIENDSHIPS ALL STARTED TO BECOME GAY.

I HAD A LONG HARD PROBLEM JUST BEING ME UNTIL 2007 WHEN WE HAD OUR CIVIL UNION.

>> SCOTT: THEIR CIVIL UNION, IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE.

THE CIVIL UNION WAS IMPORTANT.

FIRST OF ALL, THEY HAD GOTTEN A LOT OF PRESS, AND THEY HAD BEEN THIS KIND OF QUIET INSPIRATION, AND WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE PAYING ATTENTION TO THAT.

BUT WHEN WE SHOWED UP, AT THE PIER, WE THOUGHT WITH JUST OUR FAMILY, THERE WERE PEOPLE LINED UP WITH SIGNS, STRANGERS, THERE WERE NEWS CREWS.

AND THEY WERE CHEERING IT ON LIKE THIS MINI TICKER TAPE PARADE OR HOMECOMING AND IT WAS AMAZING.

>> JAN: AND NOW, THERE'S NO STOPPING ME.

I'M LIKE A STEAM ROLLER.

THIS IS MY WIFE, AND I LOVE SAYING IT.

>> SCOTT: AND NOW THEY'RE THROUGH THE OTHER SIDE, AND THERE'S SO MUCH JOY AND SO MUCH EXHALE WHERE THEY GET TO JUST LIVE ON THE REWARDS OF HAVING DONE ALL THAT WORK.

IN THE LAST 20 YEARS OF THEIR LIFE, HAVING MOVED TO A PLACE WHERE THERE IS A GAY POPULATION, HAS BEEN THE MOST AMAZING THING TO WATCH.

AND THEIR LEVEL OF JOY THAT MOST PEOPLE, DEFINITELY STRAIGHT PEOPLE, TOOK FOR GRANTED IN OUR LIVES; THAT THEY COULD LIVE HAPPY, TOGETHER, IN THE WORLD, OUT IN THE OPEN.

>> ARLENE: EMILY SAID MANY TIMES, "““I NEVER THOUGHT I'D BE AROUND TO SEE THE DAY"”” AND I'M JUST REALLY GLAD THAT THEY BOTH ARE.

>> SCOTT: YOU KNOW, THEY DRIVE EACH OTHER CRAZY LIKE ALL COUPLES DO, BUT THEY KNOW WHO THE OTHER IS, AND THEY LOVE THEM FOR WHO THEY ARE.

>> JAN: WE NEVER, EVER THOUGHT MARRIAGE EQUALITY WOULD BE IN OUR VOCABULARY.

WE NEVER THOUGHT THIS DAY WOULD COME.

>> EMILY: I NEVER THOUGHT, IN MY LIFETIME, THAT IT WOULD HAPPEN.

IT WAS JUST LIKE A FOLLOW UP DREAM SOMEWHERE, BUT WE STILL TRIED FOR IT, STILL FOUGHT FOR IT, AND WHEN IT HAPPENED IT WAS JUST LIKE, "““OH MY GOD, I'M SAYING THIS AT 85 YEARS OLD.

IT'S AMAZING.

"”” IT'S A WONDERFUL THING TO FINALLY BE MARRIED AND LIVE, IN A SENSE, IT'S LEGAL, AND WE'RE FINE.

AND WHEN SOMEBODY ASKS NOW, "““WHO ARE YOU?

WHAT ARE YOU?

"”” I MEAN, YOU CAN TELL THEM, "““THIS IS MY WIFE.

WE'RE MARRIED.

"”” IT'S A BEAUTIFUL THING FOR US, AND WE'RE SO HAPPY ABOUT IT, THAT IT JUST OPENS YOUR HEART.

IT JUST OPENS YOUR MIND, IT JUST OPENS YOURSELF, IT'S BEAUTIFUL.

I WAS GETTING SO TIRED OF PEOPLE SAYING, "““ARE YOU SISTERS?

ARE YOU RELATED?

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW EACH OTHER?

"”” AND, "““YOU'RE JUST FRIENDS?

"”” SAY, "““YES, WE'RE VERY GOOD FRIENDS, AND WE'RE ALSO BUSINESS PARTNERS.

"”” "““OH, OKAY.

"”” >> JAN: I WANT TO LIVE A LOT OF YEARS, BECAUSE WE ARE FINALLY AT THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIFE.

WE DON'T HAVE TO HIDE ANYMORE.

>> EMILY: I MEAN, GOD BLESS THESE KIDS.

THAT THEY COME OUT, THEY HOLD HANDS, THEY EVEN KISS ON THE STREET TODAY AND THEY DON'T EVEN- YOU TELL THEM THAT YOU NEVER EVEN HELD HANDS WHILE YOU WALKED OR, "““ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

"”” BUT THEY CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO LIVE IN THIS LOCKED FEELING OF BEING GAY, AND NOT BEING ABLE TO SHOW ANYTHING.

>> SCOTT: THEY'RE JUST HAPPY TO BE ALIVE AND JUST BE TOGETHER.

AND TO SEE THAT HAPPEN IN THE LAST 20 YEARS, DOWN HERE, AND THE RICHNESS OF THEIR SOCIAL LIFE, AND PEOPLE LOVING THEM FOR WHO THEY ARE, AND LOVING THEM AS A COUPLE.

>> EMILY: I LIVED MY LIFE IN THE CLOSET FOR 45 YEARS.

OVER HALF OUR LIVES HAVE BEEN WITH EACH OTHER.

>> ARLENE: THEY'RE PRETTY AMAZING AND I'M REALLY HAPPY AND BLESSED TO HAVE THEM IN MY LIFE.

>> SCOTT: SOMETIMES IT'S A CONVERSATION WHERE SOMEBODY'S LIKE, "““Y'KNOW, YOU'RE REALLY INTERESTING.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAMILY LIFE LIKE?

"”” AND I'M LIKE, "““WELL, YOU EVER HEARD OF PEOPLE WHO ARE RAISED IN WOODS BY WOLVES?

"”” THEY'RE LIKE, "““YEAH.

"”” I'M LIKE, "““I WAS RAISED IN THE SUBURBS BY LESBIANS.

"”” AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THAT.

>> JAN: IF YOU BELIEVE IN YOURSELF, AND YOU BELIEVE IN SOMETHING, STICK TO IT.

GO TO IT.

TRY NOT TO BE INTIMIDATED.

KEEP COOL.

YOU'LL WIN.

YOU'LL WIN.

>> WE HOPE YOU FOUND THIS EDITION OF OUR ALL ABOUT WOMEN AND GIRL'S FILM FESTIVAL END LIGHTNING.

PLEASE FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER AND VISIT OUR WEBSITE PB FOR A TRANSCRIPT OR TO SEE AN ONLINE VERSION OF THIS EPISODE OF TO THE CONTRARY PLEASE VISIT OUR PBS WEBSITE AT