Get Out! GAY Magazine – Issue 372 – June 20, 2018

stories GET OUT! MAGAZINE >> GETOUTMAG.COM
DIRECTOR C.
FITZ TALKS
TO LOVARI
ABOUT THE
DOCUMENTARY
JEWEL’S
CATCH ONE,
DISTRIBUTED
BY ACADEMY
AWARD
NOMINEE AVA
DUVERNAY’S
“ARRAY”,
AVAILABLE ON
NETFLIX.
The idea to document
both the beloved club
and its owner was a
perfect pairing. What
initially inspired you to
embark on this project?
I was directing a shorter
piece for the LA LGBTQ
center Award Gala. They
were honoring Jewel as a
local community leader.
Each year I donated my
time to this charity and
the first time I met Jewel
and learned of the history
behind the legendary
Catch One and all the
lives she and this story had
touched I knew the film
needed be made. I call it a
type of unwritten textbook
that everyone should read/
see and be witness to the
amount of work that went
into holding on to this
legendary space for over
4 decades and Jewel’s
activism and service to her
community. It amazed me
the amount of people that
were touched by Catch
One and how it became
a home for not only the
Black LGBTQ community,
but all walks of life that
have been through those
doors.
In addition to being a
female African American
LGBT business owner,
facing obstacles that
were unfortunately very
prevalent in the 1970s
and 1980s, there are
many other things that
Jewel accomplished
as well (opening up a
health center; self-taught
construction skills;
fundraising; dj’ing). Of all
of these admirable feats,
which one surprised you
the most?
One of the most admirable
and inspirational ‘feats’
would be Jewel going
back to school and
starting a new career at
age 56! Jewel wanted
to continue serving her
community outside the
walls of CATCH ONE and
went back to school to
study Traditional Chinese
Medicine. Opening her
own clinic “The Village
Health Foundation,” which
she still works in today,
is just an outstanding life
of service. It shows us all
(and our film’s audience)
that you should follow your
dreams at every age and
follow your heart to realize
your passions!
You had hours of footage
to choose from. As a
viewer, I am impressed
with how seamlessly
you touched upon so
many issues within the
duration of the film -
female entrepreneurship,
racism, the AIDS crisis,
homophobia, LGBT
rights, friendships,
relationships, and music.
How was the editing
process for you and your
team?
Thank you Lovari. It is
quite the massive group of
stories and history to tell
in one film and I wanted to
take great care in telling it
right, as well as, design the
soundtrack and frames in
a style that would do this
film justice and entertain
audiences of all kinds,
so that took time. It was
important that this history
was represented and
not lost. I was especially
touched by the AIDS Crisis
stories and how many
people were affected, still
affected, and how fearless
Jewel was during a very
scary time for us.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ARRAY