We always like to hear from filmmakers who are planning new gay-themed movies, so it was great to get a message from Gregory G. Allen, co-producer and screenwriter of the upcoming movie He Is Gone. The movie, which is an adaptation of Drake Braxton’s book Missing, plans to shoot during Summer 2014 in New England.

And if you’d be interested in getting involved, there are various funding options for ‘those interested in films that champion the spirit of independence and more importantly, want to see more LGBT stories being told through the brilliance of film’.

Lois Munoz-Merka will direct, with ASD Media & Entertainment backing the movie. Munoz-Merka is a former resident of Boston and Providence and could not wait to return to that part of the US after reading a copy of the 2012 New England Book Festival – Best Gay Fiction prize-winning book and knowing it was to be her first feature film. With a varied background in music, film, and television, she knew the story of a gay couple from the Boston area that returns to the Deep South for a reunion and one ends up missing needed to be told in a truthful way.

“The story hits on so many topics that are true to both the gay community and the straight world,” the filmmaker comments. “As a straight woman, I was moved by the plight of this man because love is love. It is a powerful story that will translate beautifully into film.

He Is Gone is described as ‘a journey of self discovery when one is tested in the most extreme of circumstances. As momentum for marriage equality continues to build, the film illustrates the divide that is a constant reminder of how far we still need to go. It’s about friendship and love and what people will do for each other to aid in desperate times; and when that aid can become enabling of bad habits. It’s about the families we build and those we sometimes attempt to forget.’

“He Is Gone is a psychological drama that twists and turns like a winding staircase,” says Gregory G. Allen. “The main character is on a trek to reach the top as he unravels the mystery of the disappearance of his husband.”

For more information, please visit: http://www.asdmedia.co/film.html, and you can follow the movie on Facebook and Twitter. [Read more…]

There are all sorts of gay-themed films released but very few of them concentrate on queer Muslims. However the upcoming indie Naz + Maalik take that on, while exploring stereotypes and the pressures put on young Muslim men. The film has already been shot, but it’s now looking for funding on Kickstarter to get it completed and into film festivals.

Here’s the synopsis: ‘A decade into the War on Terror, two first-generation Muslim teens – friends, classmates, business partners, lovers – spend their Friday hustling the streets of Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. While deciding whether to tell their community about their homosexuality, Naz and Maalik’s ambiguous and secretive relationship unknowingly sets an FBI agent on their trail. As the agent grows convinced that the boys are engaged in “violent radicalism,” her pursuit becomes increasingly menacing and the stakes surrounding the boys’ hapless hustling and lies grow. What began as a struggle to protect their sexual identities evolves into a crisis much larger – a fight to stay alive.’

The film was inspired by interviews director Jay Dockendorf’s conducted after being appalled by FBI and police tactics following 9/11. He did indeed find that one couple’s secret relationship was enough to get the authorities investigating them.

The director commented to HuffPo, “The film considers Islamophobia through the lens of homophobia and homophobia through the lens of racism. I know they’re very separate issues, but for some people, real people on whom these characters are based, they’re completely linked and the balance is delicate. ”

If you’d like to help out, head over to Kickstarter. [Read more…]

While gay people are seen in more and more walks of life, there are some where they are still pretty much invisible. This includes surfing.

However the documentary Out In The Lineup wants to challenge that perception, and it’s launched a Kickstarter crowd-funding campaign that it hope will help ensure the movie gets finished and can be submitted to film festivals around the globe.

The movie hopes to challenge stereotypes, connect people and raise awareness.

The movie is, ‘is a feature documentary about two gay surfers, David and Thomas, who set off on a global journey to uncover the taboo of homosexuality in surfing. They travel from Australia to Hawaii, California, Mexico and the Galapagos Islands to speak with people from all corners of the surfing community, from former world champions through to everyday surfers. Stories of fear, isolation and self-doubt emerge alongside ones of hope, self-empowerment and transformation. As their journey unfolds, Thomas and David  are inspired to promote change within the existing culture by looking to surfing’s grassroots values of freedom of spirit, open-mindedness and love for the ocean.’

Take a look at the campaign video above, and if you’d like to help, head over to Kickstarter.