Through an extensive national search, Emmy® award-winning filmmakers Bobbie Birleffi & Beverly Kopf have assembled a cast of six GLBT Americans who have inspired extraordinary change in their communities. The BE REAL cast is a cross-section of Queer America in the 21st Century, embodying its confounding complexity and life-affirming authenticity. Each profile is a portrait of a genuine hero, living his or her life in an authentic way and having an impact on others ­ family, friends, neighbors, employees, clients & strangers both in their local GLBT communities and society as a whole. Each segment of the film illustrates the challenges and the fulfillment of "Being Real." BE REAL: Stories From Queer America features Chicago native Tara "Red" Tremmel; Ross Hayduk; Mignon Moore, PhD; Oraia Reid; David Sexton; and Trae Williamson.

Red Tremmel's story of gender and gender power examines a personal transition from the lesbian community to the larger arena of women's issues and the "trans" community and all its complexities. As a doctoral candidate in history at the University of Chicago, Red's research about the history of Las Vegas led her/him to examine the history of burlesque as an expression of feminine power. Red began exploring gender expression, its fluidity and the danger of expressing gender differently. Red's partner Jessica Hallem is the executive director of a Lesbian not-for-profit organization in Chicago. Known in the community as "Queen Lesbian," Jessica admits that Red's gender fluidity has changed her perspective on women's issues, GLBT issues and "trans" issues. Sometimes a "she," sometimes a "he," Red lives on the edge of gender identification and representation, challenging the future of sexuality and sexual expression.

Life partners Bobbie & Beverly, known professionally as TVgals, have produced and/or directed a variety of documentaries about a wide range of topics and have won numerous awards, including two Emmys®, a coveted Peabody Award & a GLAAD Media Award. "For us, BE REAL was an opportunity to represent gay people as they truly are," says writer Beverly Kopf. Adds director Bobbie Birleffi, "For the most part, television has used stereotypes to represent the GLBT community. We wanted to dig deeper -- to show undiscovered differences and surprising similarities among gays and straights."

Stolichnaya® Russian Vodka proudly presents BE REAL: Stories From Queer America. "For us, this film represented an incredible opportunity to work with the increasingly diverse American population. The unique stories in BE REAL, like all great stories, represent universal themes. The notion of "Being Real," is a universal human aspiration, and it has also been a key ideology for Stoli for many years. This film presents that message in a way that is both creative and culturally relevant to the GLBT community," says Adam Rosen, Senior Brand Manager.

BE REAL: Stories From Queer America was conceived by Stolichnaya® Russian Vodka (presenter), created by Double Platinum LLC and produced by TVgals, Inc. For distribution & marketing inquiries, please contact Double Platinum at (212) 653-9150.