Beth Elohim rabbi, Andy Bachman, blogs about a film made by Brooklyn locals about former Spokane Mayor Jim West on his site, Brooklyn Jews.

A Brooklyn shout-out to CBE members and Brooklyn Jews Rachel Dretzin
and her husband and filmmaking partner Barak Goodman for their
excellent portrayal of former Spokane Mayor Jim West which appeared on Frontline last night on PBS. 

For
those interested in good journalism around the issue of politics and
sexuality and want to grasp a tragic story, catch the rerun of the show
when it appears.

And for an interesting conversation, see the Washington Post for this “live chat” Rachel had with viewers.

Jim
West was driven from office by homophobia. And that he died of cancer
five months after his recall election left me sleepless last night for
how cruel and debased and hypocritical our American politics can be.

Film
often captures what print journalism can’t. And watching the footage of
West witnessing his own downfall showed him to be an exceedingly
complicated, tragic man who even in his deepest despair didn’t lash out at his enemies.  It is a profound site worth seeing.