3500+ Films - 2.5 million words – 1 million viewers! Founder and Curator Carmela selects some of our most entertaining, powerful and inspiring Gay (1) films at We Are Moving Stories. These include documentary and drama, shorts and feature length about real-life stories, identity and activism, jobs, family - and Indian journeys.
Total length of this section: 18 films.
<REAL-LIFE STORIES>
RIOT - In 1978, when the push to decriminalise homosexuality has stalled in Australia, a group of activists decide they must make one final attempt to celebrate who they are. Led by former union boss, Lance Gowland, they get a police permit and spread the word. On a freezing winter's night, they cloak themselves in fancy dress, join hands, and parade down Oxford street. But they have no idea that angry police lie in wait, and the courage they find that night will finally mobilise the nation. Length: 104 minutes. Interview with Director Jeffrey Walker.
“More audience to this film will help this story find people who may not know anything about the origins of the Sydney Mardi Gras. ”
Clan - James Saunders is an Australian Aboriginal man who was told at boarding school he was not clever enough to go to University. He lived in the Aboriginal community where there is 'men's business' and 'women's business'. James overcame doubts about coming out and joined the Convicts Rugby team, winning three Bingham Cups with them. James has become a role model for young, gay Aboriginal people. 'Clan' details the journey of James' remarkable life in his own words. Length: 7 minutes. Director: Larissa Behrendt.
Fred and Emile - were the first gay men to announce their marriage in the front page of The Lowell Sun newspaper. Their colorful past and innate charm presents a vivid picture of ‘the bad old days’ and the strides that have been achieved. Now in their 80’s, the film profiles these two recently married gay men and the hurdles they encountered in their lives across several decades. Length: 25 Minutes. Director Christian De Rezendes:
“You should watch this film because it spotlights a generation of gay Americans who fought for the rights to marry and to live normal lives like everyone else in this country, and this generation, which struggled with oppression for decades, is dying off. We should never forget them and their struggles, because new generations of LGBT Americans are standing on their shoulders today.”
The Ice King - The greatest ice skater of all time, John Curry, transformed ice skating from a dated sport into an exalted art form. Length: 89 minutes. Director James Erskine:
“Coming out on the night of his Olympic win in 1976, John Curry became the first openly gay Olympian in a time when homosexuality was not even fully legal. Toxic yet charming; rebellious yet elitist; emotionally aloof yet spectacularly needy; ferociously ambitious yet bent on self-destruction, this is a man forever on the run: from his father’s ghost, his country, and even his own self. Above all, an artist and an athlete whose body time and time again – sometimes against his will – becomes a political battlefield.”
Larger Than Life: The Kevyn Aucoin Story - explores the life of the iconic make-up artist, who transformed the profession into a prominent and influential art form. Length: 102 minues. Director Tiffany Bartok:
“Kevyn thought every single person on earth was beautiful. Race, size, and gender didn’t matter. He brought what was interesting and unique about them to the forefront and enhanced it. The most difficult thing for him was to find it in himself. Every single one of us struggles with this at one point in our lives.”
<IDENTITY & ACTIVISM>
Between the Shades - Fifty conversations exploring the many different shades of being "gay" in America. A conversation on the degrees and varying perceptions about how people define themselves. Length: 82 minutes. Director/Producer Jill Salvino:
“Are we moving forwards or backwards or just holding our breath and waiting?”
Light in the Water - The triumph of a team. The legacy of change. In 1982, soon after the first Gay Games, 'West Hollywood Swim Club,' as it was known then, registered as the first openly gay masters swim and water polo club. This feature documentary film follows their battle for acceptance: from their humble beginnings, to how these men and women have become a renowned force fighting injustice in the world of competitive sports. Length: 75 minutes. Writer/Director/Producer Lis Bartlett:
“With the love and empowerment that comes from community, everything is possible.”
Alone In the Game exposes the dark side of sports - the homophobia, transphobia, and discrimination - that affect not only closeted athletes, but also their teams and the very institution of sport in America. Length: 95 minutes. Director/Producer Natalie Metzger:
“The world of sports has long been a wasteland for LGBTQ athletes. In the big 5 sports leagues in North America, there is only 1 openly gay athlete currently playing. This needs to change.”
This Kind of Love - follows Burmese human rights educator and LGBTIQ activist, Aung Myo Min, as he returns home after 24 years in exile. Myo's vision that human rights is for everyone - from children to transgender people to ethnic nationalities - makes This Kind of Love an offering of hope for meaningful political change in a country emerging from military dictatorship. Length: 45 minutes. Director Jeanne Hallacy:
“Aung Myo Min is like a brother. Our paths entwined twenty years ago in the jungle while he was still with the student Army. From our first meeting, I was struck by his passion and tireless energy to share his creativity as a vehicle of grassroots education and to maintain a quest for a positive vision in the midst of a grave situation in the jungle –surrounded by refugees, surviving in a war zone in a jungle and confronted by a brutal military that was causing widespread suffering to thousands. After laying down his life with comrades who then refused to accept his sexual identity and after the death of his lover, he was devastated.”
<JOBS>
Oh, Rick! - Redefine success through the eyes of comedy's everyman, Rick Crom. Length: 118 minutes. Director/Producer Dustin Sussman:
“We hope to change the perception of what it is to be a gay stand-up comedian, especially in the harsh climate of the 70s, 80s & 90s. This might be the strongest section of the film and we were fortunate to have someone as unique as Rick to tell the story through.”
Angela Wilson: A Butcher’s Story - Meet Angela Wilson, a female butcher and the owner of Avedano’s, an independent butcher shop in the rapidly shifting landscape that is San Francisco. Length: 7 minutes. Director/Producer Gaby Scott:
“I was a bit surprised by the pick up from the LGBTQ film festivals because Angela’s gay identification isn’t explicit in the film. But the attention is great, and feels validating for me as a queer director as well as the subject’s identity.”
Bootwmn - Deana McGuffin is a third generation New Mexico boot maker, handcrafting wearable pieces of art. When she is approached by a Canadian artist and a San Francisco tattooer to create a gay themed cowboy boot, a story unravels of a unique collaboration that takes them to the heart of cowboy country in Northern Texas. BOOTWMN is a heartwarming, intimate and at times funny portrait of the queering of a traditional art form. Length: 11 Minutes. Director/Producer Paige Gratland & Sam McWilliams:
“Deana is a charming storyteller and totally engaging to watch on film. She learned boot making apprenticeship-style from her father, who learned from his father. So the techniques Deana demonstrates are from as far back as 1907. There are approximately 250 custom cowboy boot makers in North America. The skill is quickly becoming a lost art. Only a handful of makers are women, and only one is the uniquely talented Deana McGuffin. Plus the story takes an interesting turn when Deana, Sam and Paige enter their gay themed boot in a boot making competition in Wichita Falls, Texas. ”
<FAMILY>
Mi Madre, My Father - Facing neglect and abuse at home, six year old Valentina relies on her street smarts and a compassionate neighbour to survive. Length: 16.25 minutes. Writer/Director Michelle Morgan:
“This project was born one night over drinks in Los Angeles - my friend Mel told me about her childhood in Australia. She had been completely neglected and abused by her parents and essentially raised by a gay couple across the hall. After getting her consent to turn her story into a film, I interviewed her in detail and asked her for photos.”
Jeremy and Margot Make a Baby - A gay man and his very close female friend set out to make a baby with no emotional strings attached. 11 minutes. Writer/Producer Clara Altimas:
“I’d love for people to laugh and leave being like, yep - I get that. I want people to relate.”
Benjamin When a surrogate pregnancy ends in a stillbirth, two gay couples and soon-to-be parents are faced with an impossible decision. Length: 16.09 minutes. Director Sherren Lee:
“The debate is clear in Benjamin—should the remaining unborn baby go to the men or the women? If you were any of these characters, what would you do? Would would be the right thing to do? For me, the most salient question I wanted to explore was—what is it like to be truly selfless for love?”
The Guys Next Door is an intimate portrait of a real “Modern Family.” Meet Erik and Sandro, a gay married couple with two daughters birthed by their friend Rachel. Rachel, who is in her 40s, is married to Tony and they have three children. Together, they form a unique extended family. Length: 75 minutes. Director/Producer Allie Humenuk, Amy Geller:
“THE GUYS NEXT DOOR is an uplifting film. At this divisive time in our country, we need a film that brings to light the good in humanity. This humorous, touching film is about family and friendship that speaks to people’s hearts. We hope that people can see that family is family no matter how they’re formed.”
Nancy - A father struggles to come to terms with his son coming out. Length: 15.38 minutes. Writer/Director/Producer Alana de Freitas:
“Often we see this story told from the perspective of the child coming out to their parents and how they deal with their parents’ responses. I wanted to show this story from the other side, and I was particularly interested in the father/son dynamic. I’m obviously not anybody’s son, but I see the relationship between my brother and my father, and I know my dad would struggle if my brother were to come out. And the point isn’t to point the finger and say ‘Ian is a bad guy who finds his way’. We are all on our own journey of learning and understanding, and some of us take longer to get there than others, and often that is purely because of the lack of experiences that force you to open your eyes. ”
Sweet and Sour - Wei believes that his traditional Chinese mom would have a hard time accepting his boyfriend. However, she turns out more complex than Wei supposed. Length: 6 Minutes. Writer/Director Ann Sun:
“As a queer woman of color, I am constantly fighting for gender equality and LGBTQ+ rights through cinema. By making this film, I am able to not only represent myself but also my community.”