Del Shores’ sordid saga continues with the much-anticipated sequel to his cult classic Sordid Lives. And the writer–director–producer is unveiling the world premiere right here in Palm Springs.
“We love Palm Springs,” Shores says. When he brought Sordid Lives to Camelot Theatres in 2000, the film showed for a record-setting 96 weeks, a feat that earned Shores a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars.
• See related story: The Movie that Keeps on Giving
Returning to Camelot for the sequel’s premiere and an exclusive two-week run at Camelot Theatres, he says, “was an easy decision to make.”
A Very Sordid Wedding follows everyone’s favorite cast of misfits, and a few new faces, in the small, conservative town of Winters, Texas. Moving beyond the issue of coming out, Shores’ new film explores the questions and bigotry surrounding marriage equality.
“I wrote the first draft of it before the Supreme Court decision, thinking it was never going to happen. And then all of the sudden it happened,” Shores says, referencing the court’s 2015 ruling to legalize same-sex marriage. “It just unlocked the whole story and it made the characters a lot fresher when they had something to bite into. … I was able to make something that almost sounds ludicrous, but it’s all true.”
Kirk Geiger is back as Ty and is paired with T. Ashanti Mozelle as Kyle in A Very Sordid Wedding.
A longtime LGBTQ activist, Shores explains that the battle for equality must persist amid the current political climate. “We finally got it — and, of course, there are pulpits that are preaching hatred; there are politicians that are preaching hatred. …
“I want to fight for those kids that are gay, that are sitting there with that secret. They’re hearing from Obama that everything’s OK, that they’re OK. And then suddenly they’re hearing that they’re not again. And there’s just so much damage that is being done.”
Shores says there likely won’t be a third installment to the film series. “I think I’m putting the characters to rest after this.” But he also isn’t slowing down. He has a new television series in the works.
“I don’t rest too long,” he says. “I get up and I have to write. I have stories to tell.”
A Very Sordid Wedding premieres at Camelot Theatres and includes a Q&A with the cast, March 10 at 6:30 p.m. After the evening quickly sold out, an additional show with Q&A was added, March 11 at 8 p.m. Screenings continue exclusively at Camelot for a two-week run before the film’s national release.
Camelot Theatres, 2300 E. Baristo Road, Palm Springs. For tickets and other information, visit: www.averysordidwedding.com.