Sandler, Barry

Barry Sandler (born February 23, 1947, in Buffalo, New York) is an American screenwriter and film producer. His career has spanned several decades, with the 1980s being his most prolific. The openly gay Sandler is perhaps best known for writing the 1982 film Making Love, the first mainstream Hollywood film to deal seriously with issues of homosexuality and coming out. Sandler discussed Making Love in the 1995 documentary film The Celluloid Closet. In addition to his successful writing career, Sandler also teaches screenwriting at the University of Central Florida and serves as one Artistic Director to Outfest, a gay and lesbian film festival in Los Angeles. He is the recipient of the GLAAD Media Award and the Outfest 2002 Gay Pioneer Award for Courage and Artistry, and was named by The Advocate as one of the most influential gay artists in America.