Looking for a must-see list of great gay documentaries? We've got you covered. We recently asked our readers to nominate up to five of their favorite documentary films via write-in vote. Thousands responded and we tabulated the results to bring you the top 25 here. All of these films are definitely worth a look and to help you learn more about titles you might not be familiar with, we've included trailers, links to reviews, official film websites and more. Plus, for three of the titles we've even embedded the full movie thanks to the Logo Docs library.
So here they are, the 25 Greatest Gay Documentaries. Which ones have you already seen? Which ones do you need to see?
25. Saint of 9/11
Summary: Sir Ian McKellen narrates this inspiring portrait of Father Mychal Judge, a New York City Fire Department Chaplain who wrestled with his sexuality, his genuine dedication to life as a priest,...
So here they are, the 25 Greatest Gay Documentaries. Which ones have you already seen? Which ones do you need to see?
25. Saint of 9/11
Summary: Sir Ian McKellen narrates this inspiring portrait of Father Mychal Judge, a New York City Fire Department Chaplain who wrestled with his sexuality, his genuine dedication to life as a priest,...
- 9/10/2012
- by AfterElton.com Staff
- The Backlot
#54. Save the Date - Michael Mohan Following in the footsteps of a Drake Doremus of going from ultra low budget indie to low budget indie, Michael Mohan parlayed his 2010 feature One Too Many Movies (read our interview with Mohan) with a 2011 filler and Sundance accepted short Ex-Sex with what we hope will be a Sundance preem for his latest, Save the Date. With a cast that includes Alison Brie, Lizzy Caplan, Martin Starr, Geoffrey Arend and Mark Webber, this would be a perfect item for the Premieres category - let the pre-fest bidding begin. Gist: Free spirited Sarah and responsible Beth are two sisters with different philosophies about love and relationships; Sarah is happy with the status quo and doesn’t see any reason to marry her musician boyfriend, Kevin, while Beth is obsessed with...
- 11/12/2011
- IONCINEMA.com
Each week within this column we strive to pair the latest in theatrical releases to the worthwhile titles currently available on Netflix Instant Watch.
It’s a thrilling week in movies! Hordes of Potterheads will mob theaters at midnight to see the much-anticipated Battle of Hogwarts, while a silly old bear tumbles back with a new tale from the Hundred Acre Wood, and a master documentarian brings a twisted true tale to light. To take the excitement home, screen this selection of streaming features from the comfort of your couch.
—
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
In the final film of the world-thrilling film series, The Boy Who Lived (Daniel Radcliffe) prepares for the final showdown with He Who Must Not Be Named (Ralph Fiennes). But come on, you knew that! Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and Alan Rickman co-star.
For more tales of magic and mayhem, try this...
It’s a thrilling week in movies! Hordes of Potterheads will mob theaters at midnight to see the much-anticipated Battle of Hogwarts, while a silly old bear tumbles back with a new tale from the Hundred Acre Wood, and a master documentarian brings a twisted true tale to light. To take the excitement home, screen this selection of streaming features from the comfort of your couch.
—
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
In the final film of the world-thrilling film series, The Boy Who Lived (Daniel Radcliffe) prepares for the final showdown with He Who Must Not Be Named (Ralph Fiennes). But come on, you knew that! Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and Alan Rickman co-star.
For more tales of magic and mayhem, try this...
- 7/14/2011
- by Kristy Puchko
- The Film Stage
MattCanada here with a bit of an overview and Best-Of Gay films for the last decade.
Gay cinema over the last ten years has been intrinsically tied to both the political gains made by gay activists and the intense battles surrounding everything from the worldwide fight for gay marriage to nationally specific issues like America's Dadt and Doma, and Britain's repeal of Section 28. The relationship between the political and the cinematic is always most pronounced in the medium's relationship to minority groups and their texts.
The Aughts have seen gay-rights become the most visible"social values" issue in America, and this has been reflected in a number of high profile American films dealing frankly, sexually, and politically with what it means to be gay in America. Milk, Far From Heaven, and Mysterious Skin employ gay filmmaking traditions, like those of Affirmation Documentaries (Richard Dyer's term), Sirkian melodrama, and New Queer Cinema,...
Gay cinema over the last ten years has been intrinsically tied to both the political gains made by gay activists and the intense battles surrounding everything from the worldwide fight for gay marriage to nationally specific issues like America's Dadt and Doma, and Britain's repeal of Section 28. The relationship between the political and the cinematic is always most pronounced in the medium's relationship to minority groups and their texts.
The Aughts have seen gay-rights become the most visible"social values" issue in America, and this has been reflected in a number of high profile American films dealing frankly, sexually, and politically with what it means to be gay in America. Milk, Far From Heaven, and Mysterious Skin employ gay filmmaking traditions, like those of Affirmation Documentaries (Richard Dyer's term), Sirkian melodrama, and New Queer Cinema,...
- 12/22/2009
- by CanadaMatt
- FilmExperience
Wainwright Collects Glaad Award
Singer Rufus Wainwright was named Outstanding Music Artist at the 19th annual Gay + Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Media Awards (Glaad) on Monday.
The homosexual musician was honoured at the New York event for his 2007 album Release The Stars.
Elsewhere, fantasy movie Stardust, starring Robert De Niro as a gay pirate, and documentary For The Bible Tells Me So both won Outstanding Film Awards.
U.S. Tv's Boston Legal picked up the award for Outstanding Individual Episode - the programme's Do Tell show was about an openly gay man who is discharged from the army.
The homosexual musician was honoured at the New York event for his 2007 album Release The Stars.
Elsewhere, fantasy movie Stardust, starring Robert De Niro as a gay pirate, and documentary For The Bible Tells Me So both won Outstanding Film Awards.
U.S. Tv's Boston Legal picked up the award for Outstanding Individual Episode - the programme's Do Tell show was about an openly gay man who is discharged from the army.
- 3/18/2008
- WENN
GLAAD Awards run gamut
Rufus Wainwright, MTV Networks president Brian Graden and the CBS soap opera As The World Turns were among the big winners Monday at the 19th annual Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Media Awards.
Strand Releasing's Middle East political romance The Bubble and Paramount's fantasy Stardust (featuring Robert De Niro as a gay pirate) took home outstanding film awards, as did First Run's religion documentary For the Bible Tells Me So.
Turns won outstanding daily drama. The show includes a gay romantic story line.
Judy Shepard won the top Excellence in Media Award for her efforts to stop anti-gay violence after the death of her son Matthew Shepard. Graden took home the Vito Russo Award for his networks' inclusion of gays in programming, and cable network BET J won special recognition for the same.
ABC's Boston Legal won outstanding individual episode (in a series without a regular lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered character) for Do Tell.
Segments from CBS' 60 Minutes (Don't Ask Don't Tell) and ABC's 20/20 (My Secret Self: A Story of Transgender Children) saw the shows tie for outstanding TV newsmagazine journalism.
Strand Releasing's Middle East political romance The Bubble and Paramount's fantasy Stardust (featuring Robert De Niro as a gay pirate) took home outstanding film awards, as did First Run's religion documentary For the Bible Tells Me So.
Turns won outstanding daily drama. The show includes a gay romantic story line.
Judy Shepard won the top Excellence in Media Award for her efforts to stop anti-gay violence after the death of her son Matthew Shepard. Graden took home the Vito Russo Award for his networks' inclusion of gays in programming, and cable network BET J won special recognition for the same.
ABC's Boston Legal won outstanding individual episode (in a series without a regular lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered character) for Do Tell.
Segments from CBS' 60 Minutes (Don't Ask Don't Tell) and ABC's 20/20 (My Secret Self: A Story of Transgender Children) saw the shows tie for outstanding TV newsmagazine journalism.
- 3/18/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
- In recent years I've often criticized the Academy Awards for not having the foresight and fortitude to include docu films that have not only completely reinvigorated the genre, but have pushed the medium to new possible artistic and narrative terrains. This year's short list of 15 titles only further confirms that the Academy has tremendous difficulty in acknowledging the wider scope of films that merit year-end salutations. The formula for the docu-filmmaking and docu movie-going experience has significantly changed since Y2K, yet the most prestigious award film ceremony seems to come up short when it comes to new trends in storytelling and filmmaking. Today IndieWIRE reports Aj Schnack will collaborate with online independent film distributor IndiePix to launch a new nonfiction filmmaking awards event, set for March 18, 2008 at IFC Center in New York City. Below you find a Top 15 list of films that will be nominated for eight categories,
- 1/7/2008
- IONCINEMA.com
For the Bible Tells Me So
First Run Features
NEW YORK -- Using true-life stories to complement its obligatory assemblage of talking heads, Daniel Karslake's documentary handles the theme of religious attitudes toward homosexuality in moving and educational fashion. While the film is unlikely to sway anyone whose mind already isn't made up, it provides plenty food for thought in its examination of biblical doctrine on same-sex love and how it resonates to this day.
The film concentrates on five individuals whose family lives were dramatically affected by their eventual coming out. They include such relatively well-known figures as Chrissy Gephardt, daughter of former U.S. Rep. Richard Gephardt of Missouri, and Gene Robinson, the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church. The former was publicly supported by her politician father, who offered to cut short his Democratic presidential candidacy if it would make her life difficult. The latter was embraced by most of the members of his congregation after he declared his gayness.
Other happy stories include that of Tonia Poteat, whose parents have continued to support her despite their strong religious convictions, and Jake Reitan, whose parents became activists demonstrating against such Christian organizations as Focus on the Family.
A sadder note is struck in the case of Anna Wallner, whose suicide subsequent to coming out inspired her mother Mary Wall to become an advocate against homophobia.
Along with these inspirational stories is commentary from religious leaders (including Archbishop Desmond Tutu) and scholars countering the literal interpretations of the Bible employed to bolster anti-gay arguments.
More amusingly, a brief animated film makes the case for the scientific arguments bolstering the genetics theory behind homosexuality.
Although displaying little more in the way of technique or style than would be employed in a typical television newsmagazine, For the Bible Tells Me So makes its passionate case with conviction and intelligence.
NEW YORK -- Using true-life stories to complement its obligatory assemblage of talking heads, Daniel Karslake's documentary handles the theme of religious attitudes toward homosexuality in moving and educational fashion. While the film is unlikely to sway anyone whose mind already isn't made up, it provides plenty food for thought in its examination of biblical doctrine on same-sex love and how it resonates to this day.
The film concentrates on five individuals whose family lives were dramatically affected by their eventual coming out. They include such relatively well-known figures as Chrissy Gephardt, daughter of former U.S. Rep. Richard Gephardt of Missouri, and Gene Robinson, the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church. The former was publicly supported by her politician father, who offered to cut short his Democratic presidential candidacy if it would make her life difficult. The latter was embraced by most of the members of his congregation after he declared his gayness.
Other happy stories include that of Tonia Poteat, whose parents have continued to support her despite their strong religious convictions, and Jake Reitan, whose parents became activists demonstrating against such Christian organizations as Focus on the Family.
A sadder note is struck in the case of Anna Wallner, whose suicide subsequent to coming out inspired her mother Mary Wall to become an advocate against homophobia.
Along with these inspirational stories is commentary from religious leaders (including Archbishop Desmond Tutu) and scholars countering the literal interpretations of the Bible employed to bolster anti-gay arguments.
More amusingly, a brief animated film makes the case for the scientific arguments bolstering the genetics theory behind homosexuality.
Although displaying little more in the way of technique or style than would be employed in a typical television newsmagazine, For the Bible Tells Me So makes its passionate case with conviction and intelligence.
- 10/17/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
First Run books 'Bible' docu for N. America
NEW YORK -- First Run Features has picked up all North American rights to the documentary For the Bible Tells Me So, which features interviews with Bishop Desmond Tutu, politician Dick Gephardt and his family on reconciling homosexuality with religious beliefs.
Daniel Karslake's first feature, which premiered at January's Sundance Film Festival, examines biblical scriptures and takes a critical look at how organized religion has interpreted them to discriminate against gay people. Other people interviewed in the docu include Gene Robinson, the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church, one of several subjects who attempt to explain how the Bible is compatible with homosexuality.
First Run plans a platform theatrical release for Bible beginning in October. The film was produced by Karslake, co-producer/editor Nancy Kennedy, co-producer Helen Mendoza and executive producers Michael Huffington, Bruce Bastian, Robin Voss, Robert Greenbaum and Keith Lewis.
First Run vp Marc Mauceri negotiated the deal with Cinetic Media.
Daniel Karslake's first feature, which premiered at January's Sundance Film Festival, examines biblical scriptures and takes a critical look at how organized religion has interpreted them to discriminate against gay people. Other people interviewed in the docu include Gene Robinson, the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church, one of several subjects who attempt to explain how the Bible is compatible with homosexuality.
First Run plans a platform theatrical release for Bible beginning in October. The film was produced by Karslake, co-producer/editor Nancy Kennedy, co-producer Helen Mendoza and executive producers Michael Huffington, Bruce Bastian, Robin Voss, Robert Greenbaum and Keith Lewis.
First Run vp Marc Mauceri negotiated the deal with Cinetic Media.
- 6/13/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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