Fertile Ashes
A 30-minute narrative drama set in 1972 in an underground lesbian/queer bar.It is the summer of 1972, Joey’s Place is an underground club that caters to working class lesbians in St. Paul. The club owner Joey must pay the mafia to keep the peace with the local police. Things heat up further when a local anti-war activist approaches the bar for the purpose of “lesbian organizing.” Fertile Ashes is inspired by a true story told by Caroline Gilbert to Fertile Ashes writer/director Pam Colby. Caroline and her then partner, Eleanor “Honey” Harold, managed a series of lesbian bars beginning in the mid-1960′s. Fertile Ashes is based on Caroline’s memories of Honey’s Barn, and the hate crime fire that destroyed the bar. After the fire, Honey went on to manage a series of lesbian bars, including the Castle Royal and Foxy’s Bar. Honey and Caroline’s relationship ended in the mid 1970′s. Foxy’s closed at its Seventh Street location in 1984, and the Over the Rainbow Bar replaced it. The bar’s owners next opened the Castle Royal on The West Side Flats before Honey Harold reopened Foxy’s in the former site of The Grand Finale in downtown St. Paul. Today Caroline lives in the house that her and Honey shared on Lake Josephine, near St. Paul, Minnesota. Fertile Ashes exteriors were filmed here. Last June the movie took Fertile Ashes took 2nd Place in the Best Minnesota Made Film Audience Choice Award!
