Year of Paper (The)

When officials began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples in 2004, this country went to war over a word. How different is a 'gay marriage' from a heterosexual one?

'The Year of Paper' chronicles the newlywed year of three couples -lesbian, heterosexual and gay- exploring why they got married and how saying 'I Do' has changed their relationships. Although each newlywed year takes a different path, these couples deal with similar issues. Family acceptance of their relationship, finances, resolving conflict and starting a family of their own are among the experiences they share. In experiencing their everyday lives, we see the human faces behind this contentious issue.

While 'The Year of Paper' focuses on these three couples and their experiences, it also follows the firestorm of debate that surrounds the very idea of marriage for same-sex couples. Historians, activists, politicians, sociologists and clergy weigh in on the debate, examining the history of the institution and whether it should evolve to include same-sex couples. The traditional first year anniversary gift is paper and it's an appropriate symbol of the legal struggle two of the three couples endure as the validity of their marriage licenses is questioned.

As we face a future in which half of the states have constitutional amendments that ban same-sex marriage, we ultimately ask, is the life-long committed relationship of two women, or two men, so different from that of a man and a woman, that one word cannot describe it for them all?

Trailer...

The Year of Paper trailer from Frameline on Vimeo.