Hollywood came out in style this weekend for the 4th Annual Power Premiere in Los Angeles at the Park Plaza Hotel. POWER UP, a non-profit organization designed to promote gay women in entertainment, holds this event each year to raise funds for its film programs, which support its mission to "promote the visibility and integration of gay women in entertainment, the arts, and all forms of media."

This year's gala kicked off at 6 P.M. on Sunday, November 7, 2004 with a celebrity pre-party and silent auction, followed by dinner in the ballroom during the screening of the short film competition winners, and the bestowing of a handful of POWER UP awards.

Attendees included people in the entertainment industry and the press, as well as fans (like two women from North Carolina who flew all the way out just to see Jennifer Beals). Actresses present included Sharon Lawrence (NYPD Blue), Fran Drescher (The Nanny), Jill Bennett (Dante's Cove), Jane Sibbett (Friends), Guinevere Turner (The L Word), Jane Lynch (The L Word), Amanda Bearse (Give or Take an Inch) Melanie Lynskey (Heavenly Creatures), and Honey Labrador (Queer Eye for the Straight Girl). Industry execs in attendance included Showtime president Robert Greenblatt and Wolfe Video president Maria Lynn, and there were many writers, directors and producers in the audience, as well.

The winners of the POWER UP short film competition this year were Billy's Dad is a Fudge-Packer, Starcrossed, and Promtroversy. Billy's Dad is a Fudge-Packer, written and directed by Jamie Donahue, is a queer take on the 1950s black-and-white educational videos, starring Queer as Folk's Robert Gant; Promtroversy, written by Melanie Aswell and directed by Leanna Creel, is a mockumentary on a teenage girl whose crush agrees to go to the prom with her because she wants the publicity. The audience thoroughly enjoyed both of these funny, well-written shorts.

But there was a puzzled response by many to the second short film, Starcrossed, which is written and directed by James Burkhammer and tells the story of two teenage brothers who become sexually involved with each other, and then drown themselves when their relationship is discovered. Although the acting, direction, and editing were excellent, the subject of the film—and the fact that the film wasn't about gay women, directed by a gay woman, or included any gay women in the cast—left many in the audience wondering what it had to do with promoting gay women in entertainment (although the short did have several lesbians involved in other roles, like producing, editing, and providing the music for the film).

The evening's three major awards were given to John Paul and Eloise DeJoria (of Paul Mitchell hair products) for their philanthropic efforts; here!TV for its pioneering efforts as the first gay TV channel; and Jennifer Beals, for her role as Bette on The L Word. POWER UP also honored its previously announced 10 Amazing Gay Women in Showbiz, which included Wendy Battles, Nicole Conn, Andrea Meyerson, Guinevere Turner, Maria Lynn, Anne Stockwell, Rose Troche, Ilene Chaiken, Andrea Sperling, and Jane Berliner.

There were several short speeches, and here!TV CEO Paul Colichman drew applause from the audience for his statement that he created the gay TV channel after growing frustrated at not being able to find an outlet for gay films. Unfortunately, sound problems made it difficult for many in the audience to hear the speakers, but host Jane Lynch (who had to be one of the most universally-liked women in the room, judging by the warm reception she received from all corners of the room every time her name was flashed on screen) did her best to keep the audience entertained.

But by far the highlight of the evening was Jennifer Beals's stirring, impassioned speech on the importance of visibility. She started off by telling the audience she was really tired, and asking them to "forgive me if I start crying or mistake this for group therapy," but her speech was anything but tired; if anyone had forgotten that Beals attended Yale before she took up acting, they were quickly reminded by the eloquence and intelligence of her words.

Beals spoke first about her own struggles growing up as biracial woman—feeling invisible and destined to grow up "the oversexed, tragic mulatto gal," according to the images of biracial women in entertainment at the time—and then she segued into the topic of the importance of gay visibility. "When society fails to write your story," Beals told the audience, "there is an unspoken message that the story is not worth telling." She expressed her appreciation at being able to bring stories of gay women to the screen, and finished to a standing ovation from the audience with a rousing call for the legitimacy of all forms of love.

Although the stories of lesbians and bisexual women have long been overlooked and ignored, a glance around the Power Premiere ballroom at the hundreds of men and women who are involved in telling stories about lesbian and bisexual women is tangible evidence that this is changing. The parting gift bags were nice, but leaving with this realization is what really makes this event worth its price.

Visit POWER UP's website at www.power-up.net or read the text of Jennifer Beals's speech here.