Hello Everyone!

Today, I’ve put together a few films, shorts and documentaries that are available either through the Library, or on streaming platforms. Each site has a wide variety of content but here are some choice picks. I hope you enjoy them and find them helpful in any way you find necessary.

Kanopy (Free to access using your university IT login)

• Cheryl Dunye, The Watermelon Woman (1996)

Video store worker and amateur filmmaker, Cheryl, becomes fixated on uncovering the true identity of a classic film actress credited as ‘The Watermelon Woman.’ During her project, Cheryl is forced to confront racial tensions within her own relationships with her friends and girlfriend. – Make sure to check out ‘Sister Outsider’ by Audre Lorde in our reading list.

• David Weissman ‘We were here’ (2011)

‘An intimate, yet epic history of the AIDS years in San Francisco, as told through the stories of five long time San Franciscans.’ The film documents the rise of the epidemic, its impact on people and the communities as well as the political tensions of the time. – To learn more about the AIDS epidemic, you can find ‘And the Band Played on’ by Randy Shilts in our reading list.

• John Scagliotti ‘Before Homosexual’ (2018)

‘Traveling all over the world and talking with dozens of experts on history, art and sexuality,  Scagliotti revels in lesbian love spells from ancient Rome, censored chapters of the Kamasutra, Native American two-spirit rituals and much more. This documentary unearths the diverse and fascinating garden of human same-sexual desire.’

• Robert Phillipson ‘T’aint Nobody’s bizness’ (2011)

A short documentary about the hidden sexualities of black female entertainers in the male-dominated 1920’s Jazz scene.

• Bill Weber + David Weissman ‘The Cockettes’ (2002)

‘The Cockettes, a flamboyant ensemble of hippies decked out in outlandish gender-bending finery, created a series of legendary, LSD-fuelled midnight musicals in early 1970s San Francisco. A diverse mix of genders and races, The Cockettes were an immediate sensation and their performances embodied the blending of the psychedelic counterculture and the sexual revolution.’

• Jenni Olson ‘Queen at Heart’ (1967)

‘This short introduces us to Misty, Vicky, Sonja and Simone–four courageous trans women who candidly discuss their personal lives with a somewhat lurid interviewer who claims to have interviewed “thousands of homosexuals” (and who obviously doesn’t understand the difference between sexual orientation and gender identity.) The film offers an extremely rare and poignant glimpse into pre-Stonewall LGBT life as it takes us to a New York City drag ball and follows the women through their daily lives.’

• Katherine Fairfax Wright & Malika Zouhali-Worrall ‘Call me Kuchu’ (2012)

‘In Uganda, a new Anti-Homosexuality Bill has been introduced in Parliament while the media, church leaders, and American evangelicals are actively fuelling the fire of intolerance. Amidst all the homophobic fervour, activist David Kato, the first openly gay man in Uganda, is undeterred in his fight for the rights of the LGBTQ community.’

• Wes Hurley ‘Little Potato’ (2017)

‘An autobiographical short about a boy growing up gay in the Soviet Union, his mail-order-bride mom, and their adventurous escape to America.’

• Greta Schiller & Robert Rosenberg ‘Before Stonewall’ (1984)

‘Before Stonewall examines the historical background to the sudden burst of political energy known as the Stonewall riots- from the social experimentation of the Roaring Twenties, to the discovery of the true size of this hidden society during World War II, to the scape-goating of homosexuals during the McCarthy era, to the development of the early homophile rights movement – providing an informative and engaging portrait of the history of homosexual experience in America.’ – Vern L. Bullough’s ‘Before Stonewall’ is available in our library collection.

• Vicky Du, ‘Gaysians’ (2015)

‘Gaysians is an exploration of family, immigration and language through the voices of five queer and trans Asian-Americans from New York City. The subjects share stories about their families, and in doing so, shed light on the complicated histories that have shaped these intimate and personal relationships.’

Box of Broadcasts (free to access using your University IT login)

• Russel T. Davis ‘It’s a Sin’ (2021)

In 1981, five friends leave their homes to start their own lives in London. With the story spanning over a decade, the rise of AIDS makes them ‘determined to live and love more fiercely than ever.’

All4 (free to access):

• Elliot Page and Ian Daniel ‘Gaycation’ (2016-2017)

‘VICE sends Elliot Page and best friend Ian Daniel on a journey to explore queer cultures around the world.’

• ‘Steve Humphries ‘Convicted for Love’ (2017)

‘Homosexuality was only partially decriminalised in England and Wales in 1967. This documentary meets four of the many men who suffered criminal or medical discrimination in the last 50 years.’ – If you’re interested in learning more, ‘British Queer history’ by Brian Lewis is available on our reading list.’

• Rupert Everett ’50 Shades of Gay’ (2017)

‘Rupert Everett explores how gay life has changed since male homosexuality was decriminalised in England and Wales in 1967.’

BBC iPlayer (free to access with a valid TV licence):

• Amy Watson & Dennis Keighron Foster ‘Deep in Vogue’ (2018)

‘Deep In Vogue celebrates the colourful, queer, emotional and political stories of Northern Vogue and its people. Synonymous with the black, gay ballrooms of 1980s New York this documentary asks why we need Vogue in the UK now more than ever.’

• Jeremy James ‘Man Alive – Consenting Adults 1: The Men’ (1967)

In the first part of a special Man Alive report, Jeremy James interviews homosexuals about their feelings and the opinions of society towards them. The contributors include a hairdresser, a doctor and a woman whose husband committed suicide rather than face a court case that would have revealed his sexuality.

• Angela Huth ‘Man Alive – Consenting Adults 2: The Women’ (1967)

‘In the second part of a special Man Alive report, Angela Huth interviews lesbians about their lives. ‘Stevie’ has been living as a man since her teens, even entering into heterosexual relationships with other women. Julie and Cynthia have lived together for many years and claim they see no difference between their relationship and that of a married couple.’

Netflix (subscription costs apply):

• Sam Fender ‘Disclosure: Trans lives on screen’ (2020)

‘A look at Hollywood’s depiction of transgender people and the impact of this on American culture.’ – Susan Stryker’s ‘Transgender History (the roots of today’s revolution) is available through the library.

• Chris Bolan ‘A Secret Love’ (2020)

Two women keep their relationship a secret for almost seven decades. Terry Donahue and Pat Henschel sit down with their great nephew, Chris Bolan, and tells him about their life together.

• C. Fitz ‘Jewel’s Catch one’ (2016)

Jewel Thais-Williams defied all odds and provided a safe space for Black LGBT communities with her nightclub ‘Jewel’s Catch one.’

• David France ‘The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson’ (2017)

‘Filmmakers re-examine the 1992 death of transgender legend Marsha P. Johnson, who was found floating in the Hudson River. Originally ruled a suicide, many in the community believe she was murdered.’ – To learn more about the context and social climates, be sure to have a look at ‘Black on Both Sides: A racial History of Trans Identity’ by C. Riley Snorton.

Wevebeenaround.com (free to access):

• We’ve Been Around’ (2016)

‘We’ve Been Around is a series of short films celebrating the lives of just a few transgender pioneers throughout history.’

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I hope you enjoy my suggestions – let me know your thoughts on social media (@surreylib) using the hashtag #SurreyLibCurator and #StudentCurator!