Also starring: Christina Ricci, Laura Linney, Ben Foster Directed by: Moises Kaufman Release Date: January 10, Sundance '02. MPAA Rating: Not Rated Distributor: HBO Films. Links: Official Website The Laramie Project ifilm website The Laramie Project fanlisting

Synopsis:
The brutal attack on Matthew Shepard was the kind of wakeup call a society doesn't get very often. It triggered an avalanche of media, a kind of national deathwatch until Shepard died five days later. THE LARAMIE PROJECT is the response of one man, playwright Moisés Kaufman, and his colleagues at the Tectonic Theater Project, who went to Laramie, Wyoming, and conducted more than 200 interviews with townspeople and officials. The result is this inquiry into hate and the thoughts and feelings of an American community. As one local states, Laramie became instantly notorious, "like Waco or Jasper." But The Laramie Project is not an exercise in self-righteous condemnation. It merely attempts to come to terms with what happened. It's a film, based on the play by the troupe, that presents the details of the slaying as revealed by those closest to it, and the truth lies in the details. It's a film about homophobia across the nation, but as one woman deftly points out, "Honey, it's still about Laramie." from Yahoo! Movies

Josh's Role:
Josh plays Matt Galloway, the local bar owner who sees Matthew Shepard and his killers the night of Matthew's murder. He is one of the many town's people interviewed by the documentary makers. He became a "media darling" of sorts due to his willingness to make sure the story was told. It was his way of paying tribute to Matthew.