YES I AM: THE RIC WEILAND STORY
SATURDAY, OCT 16, 5:00 PM, SIFF EGYPTIAN CINEMA &
VIRTUAL (OCT 14–24)
SPONSORED BY:
Aaron Bear; 2020; USA; 60 min.
Ric Weiland’s legacy is very much a Seattle story. He was born here; he died here. And it was here that his life story took flight. A classmate of Paul Allen, Weiland was one of the first employees at Microsoft, and he used the immense success that opportunity brought him to build a secret world of philanthropic endeavors that helped shape the city—and the country—as we know it today, including millions for GLAAD and the Pride Foundation, among many others. Told with the utmost care for Ric’s enduring legacy, director Aaron Bear’s revealing documentary dives deep into the life of a man whose name has been somewhat lost to the vagaries of time. Narrated by Zachary Quinto, the film uses the people closest to Ric to give us an insightful glimpse into a larger-than-life figure, one whose personal demons became just too much to handle.
A panel discussion will follow with director Aaron Bear, Gil Bar-Sela (who plays Ric in the reenactments), producer Wes Hurley, and other special guests
CONTENT WARNINGS: DISCUSSION OF SUICIDE