By Matt Simonette

Staff writer

On Feb. 8, 2004, San Francisco-based filmmaker Geoff Callan was eating breakfast with his brother-in-law, Gavin Newsom, who’d been mayor of San Francisco for about a month.

Callan asked him what it was like to be mayor.

“I’m about to ruin my political career,” Newsom answered, without wanting to say more.

Three days later, Newsom phoned Callan and told him to bring his cameras down to city hall the following day.

It was on that day, Feb. 12, 2004—Freedom to Marry Day—that San Francisco began to allow gay and lesbian couples to marry. In the months that followed, Callan, his co-director Mike Shaw and four camera crews followed the tumultuous events surrounding Newsom’s decision.

Callan appeared along with the resulting film, “Pursuit of Equality,” at the Center on Halsted Nov. 19 for a screening sponsored by the Center, Lambda Legal and Equality Illinois.

Callan and Shaw captured over 400 hours of footage. One crew followed Newsom, while others shot court footage, street rallies and stories from the thousands of people who lined up once they heard they could be pronounced “spouses for life” in San Francisco.

Callan said that he knew very little about the politics of gay marriage before undertaking the project.

“I was never against it, but I had never really thought about it,” he said.

The topical nature of the film made it difficult for Callan and Shaw to stop tweaking the film. Just when they’d finish one version, a new legal development or court decision would outdate it. Callan said they nevertheless locked in a final version in August.

“The next part of this film will be when (gay) marriage is legal,” Callan said in his remarks closing the Center on Halsted screening.

He said he would like to get a widespread theatrical release in early 2008, timed to an expected decision from the California State Supreme Court on the validity of the marriages. In the meantime, he’s showing “Pursuit of Equality” at festivals and private screenings, and selling it on DVD.

Chicagoans Robert Castillo and John Pennycuff, who were married in San Francisco, said the film captured the euphoric mood in San Francisco City Hall that month.

“It was an amazing display of community, “ Castillo said. The crowd saved spots for one another in line in order for one another to eat, use the bathroom and rest.

“People all across the country were sending flowers,” he added.

The couple made two trips. On the first one, on the second week marriages were allowed, Castillo and Pennycuff were told they had to schedule an appointment and come back. They were finally married the following month.

“We never thought it would happen,” Castillo said.

Though, at least in the eyes of the California courts, their marriage was voided, Castillo and Pennycuff never returned the license. In fact, thanks to a printer error, they have five copies. “We never cashed the refund check either,” Pennycuff said.

Newsome autographed their license a year later, at an event commemorating the anniversary of the weddings.

Castillo still remembers the mayor’s inspiring words at that celebration.

“(Newsom) gave one of the most kick-ass speeches ever. It was a great moment,” Castillo said.

He and Pennycuff are grateful that Newsom was willing to take such a big gamble in the early days of his administration. As they left Center on Halsted after the film, the two spouses for life asked Callan to “tell Gavin he made two Chicagoans very happy.”

For more information go to www.pursuitofequality.com.