Though her feature credits have been scant to date, Donna Deitch has earned a very small but honorable place in American film history. More specifically, she has been a pioneer in the area of gay and lesbian cinematic representation as the producer and director of "Desert Hearts" (1985), generally acknowledged as the first "mainstream" feature to deal sympathetically and realistically with the lesbian experience.Deitch purchased the film rights to Jane Rule's 1964 novel "Desert of the Hearts" and spent the next five years raising money for the production. She slowly acquired $850,000 through
Feature debut, served as still photographer for "Billy Jack"
1974
Filmaking debut, served as producer, director, cinematographer and editor on "Woman to Woman", a documentary "featurette"
1978
Directed the ten-minute black-and-white short, "The Great Wall of Los Angeles", about the world's longest mural
Secured the film rights to Jane Rule's 1964 novel, "Desert of the Hearts"
Spent more than five years raising the budget for the film adaptation by throwing parties for affluent women and persuading them to contribute and selling $1000 units of the film to small investors and friends
