OUT on DVD/VOD: Quiet Heroes

Quiet Heroes Trailer from Vavani on Vimeo.

In Salt Lake City, Utah, the religious monoculture severely complicated the AIDS crisis, where patients received no support from—or were cast into exile by—the political, religious, and medical communities. Further, Mormon culture encouraged gay men to marry women and have a family to cure themselves of their "affliction," counsel which led to secret affairs and accidental marital transmissions of HIV.

In the entire state and intermountain region there was only one doctor to serve all HIV/AIDS patients. Quiet Heroes is the story of her fight to save the lives of a maligned population everyone else seemed willing to just let die.

OUT on DVD & VOD: Venus

 

A South Asian-Canadian transgender woman, Sid, sees her life flipped on its head when she meets the teenage son she didn’t know she had. Her biological immigrant family, boyfriend and chosen family, and ultimately her own sense of self are challenged in surprising and heartfelt ways. Genders, generations, and cultures collide in this comedy about modern family life.

Combining a colorful, witty story with both western and eastern aesthetics to reflect the urban South Asian-Canadian experience, VENUS redefines what constitutes ‘family’ for multi-generational immigrants, yet is also story that is universal for anyone who has struggled to redefine the meaning of ‘family’ in today’s times. VENUS is a resounding plea to cast off gender and cultural stereotypes.

Montreal-based filmmaker Eisha Marjara brings a breezy directing style, and her cast convey supreme warmth and humor. She said, “VENUS is a new kind of family comedy – a story that breaks down barriers and allows everyone to see themselves in the lives of the characters. The film’s central theme—the desire for love and integration—is understandably universal to all.”

After a successful and critically acclaimed festival run this year, including the Audience Award for Best Feature at the Reelout Queer Film and Video Festival, Best Narrative Feature at Cinequest, and Best Actor at the Transgender Film Festival (Kiel, Germany) - VENUS will be available via Wolfe to all U.S. audiences.

VENUS releases September 4, 2018 in the U.S. on DVD & VOD via Wolfe.

OUT on DVD: Masterpiece: Man In An Orange Shirt

PBS Distribution announced today it is releasing Masterpiece: Man In An Orange Shirt on DVD, Blu-ray and Digital HD. Scripted by bestselling novelist Patrick Gale (A Place Called Winter), Man In An Orange Shirt portrays a pair of love stories, sixty years apart, linked by family ties, sexual identity, and a mysterious painting.

The plot opens on the Italian front near the end of World War II. British Captain Michael Berryman saves the life of a wounded fellow officer and recognizes him as Thomas March, an old schoolmate, now serving as an official war artist. Though engaged to his childhood sweetheart, Flora, Michael feels a powerful attraction to Thomas, who feels the same way. After the artist’s recuperation, the two share a brief, passionate encounter before parting.

With the war over, Michael looks up Thomas in London, and they spend a liberating, amorous weekend at Michael’s rundown country cottage. There, Thomas sketches Michael for a painting that will become “Man in an Orange Shirt.” In an era when homosexuality in England was punished by prison, there is no hope of living together. Furthermore, Michael feels honor-bound to marry Flora, and he asks Thomas to be his best man. This sets the stage for a turbulent marriage, not least because Flora suspects nothing about her fiance’s sexuality.

The second half of the drama skips two generations to the present day. Michael and Thomas have died, and Flora keeps house with her grandson, Adam, a young veterinarian active in London’s gay hookup scene—a subject Flora carefully avoids.

Into Adam’s restless life comes Steve, an architect eager for a stable relationship and intrigued by the challenge of fixing up the cottage that Adam has been given by Flora—the same place where Michael and Thomas spent their idyllic weekend six decades earlier. The times change, the laws change, the technology changes (as illustrated by Adam’s addiction to dating apps), but the problem of love, commitment, and acceptance is as persistent and formidable as ever.

Masterpiece: Man In An Orange Shirt will be available on DVD and Blu-ray June 19, 2018. The DVD SRP is $29.99 and the Blu-ray SRP is $34.99. The program will also be available for digital download.

Max Emerson's 'Hooked' Focuses on Homeless LGBTQ Youth, Raises Money for NonProfits

Breaking Glass Pictures has acquired North American rights to writer/director Max Emerson’s poignant LGBTQ tale Hooked. Breaking Glass acquired rights to the film in April in a deal negotiated between Breaking Glass CEO Rich Wolff and Max Emerson on behalf of the Hooked Project. The film will open theatrically in Los Angeles on June 1, followed by a DVD & VOD release on June 5, 2018.

Described as a film that will “hook audiences from start to finish” (Gay Essential), Hooked held its world premiere at Inside Out, and its US premiere at Newfest as a benefit for the Ali Forney Center. The film stars Laura Austin, Conor Donnally, and Jay Alan Christianson (‘Balck-ish’), and is proudly produced by Melissa D. Llewellyn (The Big Take, Ancient Tomorrow).

Hooked follows 18-year-old hustler Jack and his boyfriend Tom. They are an item, close and very much in love. However, Jack tends to be very impulsive with his body and emotionally explosive. Matt, a married man who hasn't come out of the closet, decides to take Jack from NYC to Miami with the intention of helping him before it’s too late.

Not just a cautionary tale of life on the streets, Hooked is proud to announce that a percentage of the profits from the film will be donated to non-profits and partner organizations to support the homeless LGBTQ youth demographic. Partner organizations include the Ali Forney Center, the Los Angeles LGBT Center, Albert Kennedy Trust, Lost and Found, and GLAAD.

“It’s apparent that LGBTQ kids need a place they can go to be safe…to find guidance from people who actually identity with the things they are going through,” said Emerson. “It’s not special treatment, it’s a necessity.”

 

In the US, LGBTQ youth are 8 times more likely to end up homeless, and those homeless individuals are 7.4 times more likely to experience acts of sexual violence and more than twice as likely to commit suicide than their heterosexual counterparts according to the National Coalition for the Homeless. It’s common for non-LGBTQ shelters to simply refuse service to transgender teens.

“Writer/Director/Producer Emerson has taken the near impossible task of taking the serious subject of homelessness among LGBTQ youths, and crafting a narrative that is cautionary, but also entertaining and sexy”, said Richard Ross, Co-President of Breaking Glass. “With terrific lead actors who manage to be simultaneously charming and abrasive, yet very real, the film places you directly in the center of their lives.”

 

OUT on DVD/VOD: Brotherly Love

Dealing with love in the face of religion, Brotherly Love held its world premiere at the Glitter Oklahoma LGBT Film Festival where it won Best Pictures, and went on to play numerous other festivals including aGLIFF30, Reel Pride, Nevada International Film Festival where the film won Best Feature, and qFLIX Worcester where Caruso took home the First Time Director award.

Which call do you answer? The one you feel from God or the one you feel about your authentic self? This is the dilemma at hand for Brother Vito (played by writer/director Anthony J. Caruso) struggling with a decision as he must decide between becoming a Brother or allowing himself to declare his love for Gabe (Derek Babb). Shot entirely in Austin and with a local cast and crew, Brotherly Love is a fresh take on the traditional gay love story, with The Golden Girls also playing an important role in this romantic dramedy.

“Beautiful and heartfelt, Anthony J. Caruso’s warm and romantic comedy-drama hits all the right notes”, said Richard Ross, Co-President of Breaking Glass. “Authentic and intimate dialog highlight this study of a Brother in the Catholic Church who struggles with his vow of chastity when he meets and falls in love with a charming young man.”

OUT on DVD/VOD: My Best Friend

My Best Friend held its world premiere at the Roze Filmdagen Amsterdam LGBTQ Film Festival, will hold its US premiere at OUTshine Miami, and will play Cine Las Americas International Film Festival and numerous prestigious festivals throughout the year to be announced shortly. 

My Best Friend follows Lorenzo, a quiet teenager living with his family at the edge of the world in beautiful Patagonia. One day, Lorenzo’s father decides to host Caito, the son of a friend from Buenos Aires who had to go to hospital for a long stay. At first, Caito appears shy, tough, and hardly ever speaks, but over time the two boys become friends. However, Caito quickly wears out his welcome with Lorenzo’s parents. Before he’s forced to relocate again, Caito reveals to Lorenzo the real reason why he was forced to leave home. With a secret to hold, a new responsibility to take, and a troublesome partner by his side, Lorenzo will begin to experience things he never imagined…

“Martin Deus debut feature is a quietly moving story of a relationship between two boys that builds into something both difficult and secretive”, said Richard Ross, Co-President of Breaking Glass. “Beautiful performances and assured direction make this a truly unforgettable tale of love and friendship.”

The film will be released on DVD & VOD on October 29, 2018.

OUT on DVD/VOD: Surge of Power: Revenge of the Sequel

Surge of Power Enterprises and Indie Rights are proud to announce the Blu-ray, DVD and VOD release of the long-anticipated sequel to the groundbreaking and lighthearted superhero movie Surge of Power: The Stuff of Heroes.  Following a national theatrical rollout, Surge of Power: Revenge of the Sequel is also now available on Amazon Instant Video, Google Play, and YouTube Rentals.  Additional platforms including iTunes and Vudu will soon follow.   

Creator Vincent J. Roth returns to the cape-clad title role of Surge, cinema's first out gay superhero.  Roth is joined by a star-studded cast representing the forces of good and evil including "Star Trek" alums Nichelle Nichols and Robert Picardo, comedian Bruce Vilanch, "SuperFriends!" Wonder Woman Shannon Farnon, Academy Award nominee Eric Roberts, The Exorcist's Linda Blair, "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century" star Gil Gerard and the original Incredible Hulk Lou Ferrigno.  The award-winning film has screened at festivals and conventions across the globe, taking home prizes for Best Comedy, Best Villain, Best Special Effects and Most Inspirational Lead Character.

OUT on DVD/VOD: The Breeding

Breaking Glass Pictures has acquired North American rights to the LGBT erotic-thriller The Breeding. Breaking Glass acquired rights to the film in February in a deal negotiated between Breaking Glass CEO Rich Wolff and Dane Joseph, Founder and Executive Producer at Novo Novus Productions. The film will begin festival screenings in Q2 and a DVD/VOD release will follow in late 2018.

“We're thrilled to be working with Breaking Glass Pictures again on another scintillating and complex project after our wonderful experience collaborating on BWOY” said Dane Joseph, Founder and Executive Producer of Novo Novus Productions. “The Breeding pushes the envelope in how we think of sex and culture in the LGBTQ community, and it's amazing to have an awesome partner in BGP who supports our company's mission to explore controversial and risqué stories."

The story centers on discontented, sex-positive queer cartoonist Thomas, whose artistic inspiration comes from erotic escapades that are unbeknownst to his loving boyfriend, Amadi. A chance restroom encounter with a recently divorced financier named Lee leaves Thomas curious about exploring the taboo fetish of “race play.” But when the game gets too real, chilling actions are taken that will forever change the trajectory of these men’s lives.

OUT on DVD/VOD: Sebastian

Written, directed and starring James Fanizza, Sebastian features Katya (also known as Brian McCook) from Rupaul's Drag Race and the hit Vice series The Trixie and Katya Show.

In this urban gay love story, sexy Argentinian hunk Sebastian (Alex House) arrives in Toronto on a one week visit and meets his cousin's boyfriend, Alex (writer-director, James Fanizza). Instant attraction leads Alex to question his rocky relationship with his boyfriend. As he and Sebastian decide to explore their forbidden passion, they connect deep in emotion. Alex must confront his conflicted feelings for his boyfriend and Sebastian, as well as some surprising, long buried secrets from his past.

Sebastian is a uniquely modern story - exploring the search for love in an age of instant gratification, online hookups, and the yearning for connection in an age of convenience and superficiality. It paints a nuanced portrait of 20-something queerness; that perpetual feeling of having what you want at the tip of your fingers, but not being sure if you really want to grab it.

OUT on DVD/VOD: Jesus Meets the Gay man

Jesus Meets the Gay Man held its world premiere at the Whistler Pride Festival, and went on to screen at the Montreal Views of the World Film & Music Film Festival, as well as Toronto Pride. The film features an ensemble cast including Fearless Fred, Carla Collins, Paul Bellini, Scott Thompson, and many more.

“I didn’t write this documentary for LGBT people, I didn’t write this documentary for Christian people, I wrote this for human people”, said director Jean-Claude Lafond. “This isn’t a film for just one group. It’s a film for everyone to enjoy.”

A story of reconciliation, forgiveness and renewal wrapped in Monty Python-like sketches and a jazzy dance number, Jesus Meets the Gay Man is a fun documentary that will have you see Jesus in a new light, while at the same time convincing you to work on your abs! Developed by looking at the questions of what Jesus would have said or done if He had met a gay person, the film aims to bridge the gap between Christians and the homosexual community, who have been at odds on this issue, with critical thinking and humor. In this age of so much information on the Bible and on the topic of homosexuality, can the LGBTQIA and the Christians find forgiveness?

“We love to find films that are unique and completely unexpected, and Jesus Meets the Gay Man qualifies for that distinction without a doubt”, said Richard Ross, Co-President of Breaking Glass. “Almost impossible to describe, the film is a documentary that is completely strange, somewhat demented, and absolutely hilarious.”

The film will be released on January 9th on DVD and VOD through iTunes, Amazon Instant, and through local cable and satellite providers.

OUT on DVD/VOD: The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin

The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin examines the life and work of one of the world’s most beloved story tellers, following his evolution from a conservative son of the Old South into a gay rights pioneer whose novels have inspired millions to claim their own truth.

Jennifer M. Kroot’s documentary about the creator of Tales of the City moves nimbly between playful and poignant and laugh-out-loud funny. With help from his friend, Maupin offers a disarmingly frank look at the journey that took him from the jungles of Vietnam to the bathhouses of 70s San Francisco to the front line of the American culture war. Featuring Laura Linney, Ian McKellen, Olympia Dukakis, Neil Gaiman, Margaret Cho, Jonathan Groff and Amy Tan.

Critics praised The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin, with a 89% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter writes, “With candor, humor and poignancy, Kroot's entertaining documentary depicts an artist who continued to seek his bigoted father's approval even as he embraced a life as a proud gay man that his parents could never condone.” Andy Webster of The New York Times notes, “this fond documentary portrait... makes it clear that Mr. Maupin’s mastery of assorted perspectives is his gift.”

The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin will be available on DVD December 5 in the United States and will have it’s broadcast premiere January 1, 2018 on PBS Independent Lens. The documentary can be pre-ordered on Amazon.com and WolfeVideo.com today.

OUT on DVD/VOD: Hidden Kisses

In Hidden Kisses, sixteen-year-old Nathan is the new kid in high school. One night, while attending a party, he falls in love with Louis, a boy in his class. Able to sneak away from the crowd, they find themselves out of sight, and eventually work up the courage to kiss each other…but someone takes notice. Soon, a picture is published on Facebook, and a storm of bullying and rejection overtakes their lives.

“We are very pleased to bring director Didier Bivel’s beautiful, yet cautionary, ode to young love to US audiences”, said Richard Ross, Co-President of Breaking Glass. “It sadly reminds us, though, that bullying and homophobia still play a hateful role in the fabric of contemporary life.”

OUT on DVD/VOD: All Male, All Nude

Breaking Glass Pictures has acquired North American rights to award-winning filmmaker Gerald McCullouch’s (“CSI”, Daddy, the BearCity films) first documentary All Male, All Nude. Breaking Glass acquired rights to the film in September in a deal negotiated between Breaking Glass CEO Rich Wolff and filmmaker McCullouch’s production company Hard G Productions. All Male, All Nude will have its DVD and digital release on December 5. The DVD will contain additional filmmaking by McCullouch utilizing the skin heavy outtakes as well as a dedication to one of the dancers who went missing shortly after filming wrapped.

Described by Michael Musto as a “fabulous”, “sexy”, and “illuminating” (OUT) film that will “change your mind about male strippers forever” (BearWorld Magazine), Gerald dives into the lives of men who work at America’s only all male, all nude, gay strip club located in the heart of the Bible Belt.

“Gerald has pulled back the curtain on Atlanta’s notorious and legendary gay strip club, Swinging Richards” said Richard Ross, Co-President of Breaking Glass. “He examines the mind and soul of the men who bare their bodies nightly for our enjoyment. If you ever wondered, who are these men, and why would they do this, you’ll walk away with an appreciation, and greater insight, of the whole club culture and camaraderie.”

Straight men, gay men, bi-sexual men, and those who are gay only when the money is right support themselves, and sometimes their families, by dancing nude for a diverse clientele of all shapes, sizes, and sexualities. Each relishes, defends, enjoys, and abhors their career choice and looks back on life's lessons that led them to where they are now. All Male, All Nude is a cutting-edge journey into the taboo world of male stripping. The men living this life can't be boxed in, nor can those who pay to watch them strip.

Celebrate National Coming Out Day with 'The Freedom to Marry'

The nail-biting, untold story of how same-sex marriage became law of the land. The Freedom to Marry follows Evan Wolfson, the architect the movement, civil rights attorney Mary Bonauto and their key colleagues on this decades long battle, culminating in a dramatic fight at the United States Supreme Court. More than the saga of one movement's history, this is an inspiring tale of how regular people can change the world.

Now available on iTunes, Amazon and Vimeo. Available on Netflix on November 1. 

OUT on DVD/VOD: A Very Sordid Wedding

Gravitas Ventures has announced the DVD and Blu-Ray release of GLAAD Award-winner Del Shore’s A Very Sordid Wedding, a continuation of Shores 2000 feature film Sordid Lives.  

17 years after family matriarch Peggy tripped over G.W.’s wooden legs in Sordid Lives, same-sex marriage equality has barreled into Winters, Texas and not everyone is ready to accept it. An anniversary memorial service is being planned in honor of Peggy at the bar while the Southside Baptist Church plans an "Anti-Equality" rally to protest the abomination of gay marriage and work to defend their religious freedom. The beloved cast of colorful characters are all on a collision course for shenanigans and fireworks on the big night. Along the way a bisexual serial killer shows up, a drag queen country medley is performed and a beauty-salon-versus-the-bigots battle turns getting your hair done into the front lines of the equality battle.  Friendships are tested and families are reunited as fear and bigotry are confronted with acceptance and understanding on the way to a surprise wedding with (almost) everyone in attendance.

Sordid Lives was a massive hit among LGBT audiences and spawned a 12-episode TV series in 2008 — stars such as Bedelia, Olivia Newton-John Delta Burke and Rue McClanahan appeared.

OUT on DVD/VOD: Woman on Fire

 

This October, FilmRise will release Julie Sokolow’s newest feature documentary “Woman on Fire,” a unique and intimate look at the first openly transgender firefighter in New York City. After seeing Brooke Guinan featured in the 2014 “So Trans, So What” campaign, Sokolow was inspired to celebrate the courage and beauty of Brooke as she transitioned from male to female while working in an overwhelmingly male-dominated profession. Thanks to Sokolow’s unparalleled access to Brooke’s transition, viewers are presented with an in-depth look at the polarized political and social forces in America today. “Woman on Fire” will be available for sale and rental on Amazon Video, iTunes, and Vudu, as well as DVD and Blu-ray beginning October 3, 2017.

In February 2015, The Village Voice heralded the arrival of “New York’s Bravest” – Brooke Guinan, the first openly transgender firefighter in New York City. Like many in the field, Brooke comes from a long lineage of firefighters. Her father is a respected lieutenant and 9/11 survivor with a 35-year legacy in the FDNY, and her grandfather also dedicated his life to the fire department. Brooke was destined to continue the family’s legacy. Being uncomfortable in her skin all her life, Brooke decides it’s time to transition, which poses not only a challenge to the male-dominated profession her career and life revolves around, but also to the customs of the people she cares about the most – her family.

Currently there are only 52 women firefighters in a workforce of over 10,000 FDNY firefighters. That is less than 1%. Brooke is the only transgender FDNY firefighter. In society at large, ninety percent of trans people report experiencing discrimination in the workplace. Their unemployment rate is double that of the general population.

Hailed “a moving portrait of a New Yorker who’s never been afraid to run where she needs to go, regardless of the dangers that might be waiting for her on the other side,” by Indiewire, and “just what a great social awareness doc should be – equal parts heartwarming and infuriating,” from The Village Voice, “Woman on Fire” won Best LGBT Film by Jury at Oxford Film Festival, and Best Documentary Feature by Audience Award at Bentonville Film Festival.

OUT on VOD: The Daydreamer's Notebook

 

Michael Saul Productions has opened The Daydreamer's Notebook after a lifetime of filming. This experimental selection of short films by award-winning gay filmmaker Michael J. Saul (The Surface, Crush, Adults Only), have been created and then set aside over his 40-year career in film. Some recent and others rediscovered, they are all spawned by the act of daydreaming as a method of meditation, allowing the mind to create and remember.
 
Prefaced by the filmmaker, the shorts in the anthology range from Nightcrawler (2011), the childhood nightmare of preparing for a fishing trip; Cons, Idol and Boat 14 (2006) which depict childhood relationships long gone; to Euphoria (2014), a music video collaboration with composer Derek Bayani Mabalot depicting love, deception and sex; and Subterrania (2017), Saul's memorial video to Steven M. Miller who's 30-year collaboration was cut short in 2015 with Miller's death.

The Daydreamer's Notebook is available now on Amazon Instant, on TLA as of August 29th and will debut on Dekkoo in the fall. 

OUT on DVD/VOD: Baby Steps

Baby Steps Trailer from Barney Cheng on Vimeo.

From the Oscar-winning producer of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Taiwanese-American LGBT film BABY STEPS will release on DVD, Blu-ray & VOD in the U.S. and Canada on August 15th via Gravitas Ventures. 

This engaging Taiwanese-U.S. dramedy is an homage to Ang Lee's cross-cultural classic The Wedding Banquet, including an Asian-Caucasian gay couple, the meddlesome mother and the never-ending quest for a grandchild. But this time around, director Barney Cheng (who also co-stars and writes) tells the story largely from the perspective of the mother (Taiwan actress Grace Guei, who was in The Wedding Banquet  and is widely considered the Meryl Streep of Asia) and adds a modern spin: surrogacy. It's an adventure that takes mother and son all over the world, including Taipei, Bangkok, Mumbai and Los Angeles. It's a touching coming-out story - not only of a gay man, but also a mother struggling to be part of her son's life.

After a successful festival run, BABY STEPS opened theatrically throughout Asia, and caused social waves. In Taiwan, the film opened on Mother's Day 2015, and was part of a national discussion on LGBT rights that helped propel Taiwan to legalize same-sex marriage in May 2017. Of worldwide significance, the U.S. State Department has hosted U.S. embassy screenings of BABY STEPS throughout Asia, including China, Mongolia, and Myanmar.

OUT on DVD/VOD: House of Z

 

HOUSE OF Z chronicles the meteoric rise of fashion designer Zac Posen at the age of 21 and then his brand's falling out of favor several years later and his challenge to rebuild his company and his reputation. It is both a portrait of an artist as a young man, and a look behind the glamorous curtain of one of the most distinguished brands in the world, revealing the tenuous dance between art and commerce that informs every move.

OUT on DVD/VOD: Kept Boy

Breaking Glass Pictures has acquired North American rights to writer/director George Bamber’s (The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Green, ‘Bloomers’) second feature film KEPT BOY. Breaking Glass acquired the rights to the film in January in a deal negotiated between Breaking Glass CEO Rich Wolff, and writer/director George Bamber and Kept Boy, LLC. The film is slated for a DVD/VOD release August 8, 2017.

Based on the novel of the same name by Robert Rodi, KEPT BOY is the second feature film directed by George Bamber, who is well-known for his successful AD career on films such as Pitch Perfect, The Lincoln Lawyer, Jeepers Creepers, and Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story. The film is proudly produced by Laura Reich, Haley Christensen, and Ben Simons.

KEPT BOY follows interior designer/reality show star Farleigh Knock, who has a knack for keeping beautiful things, like adonic Dennis, around his home. But when Fairleigh gives Dennis an unthinkable ultimatum for his 30th birthday, to get a job or get out, Dennis goes from Kept Boy to Lost Man. George Bamber directs this dark gay comedy that shows life with a sugar daddy is bittersweet and poses the question: what is love and what is the price to keep it?