Documentary Review: Pieces of Us

Text © Robert Barry Francos / FFanzeen, 2023
Images from the Internet

Pieces of Us
Directed by Cheryl Allison
Wow Films; EEC! Productions; Blue Door Films II; Freestyle Digital Media
92 minutes, 2021 /2023
www.piecesofusthefilm.com/
www.facebook.com/PiecesofUsDocumentary

Originally, I was going to say something about how this is a challenging time to be openly gay, what with the rise of Republican autocratic Christianity, and while that is definitely true, I cannot think of a time after, say, the Stonewall Riots of 1969, where is has been safe to be LGBTQetc. Sure, the arrests have gone down (for now) and there is more of a presence on media, but uncalled for and unnecessary violence towards the community continues, if not recently increasing due to hateful pundit right-wing talking points.

I have to admit, growing up in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, I had my own biases for most of my early life because I did not know better, but through education and working at a Baskin-Robbins a block away from the Stonewall, I quickly became a proud ally, and have marched in a number of Pride events. That’s me; but it is time to discuss this documentary.

While LGBTQetc. violence is a social problem, it most effects those who has had direct contact with this force. It is the post-violence that is the focus of this film, telling the story of five particular people. What is important to acknowledge is that though these subjects have had horrendous things done to them, it is not these actions that are the main focus, in a woe-in-me fashion, but is rather centered on coming through on the other side, with love and support around them. Despite the pain, this is a positive project.

JP Masterson aka Jipster

The film starts in earnest when we meet Jipster (JP Masterson), a white rapper who works as a middle school psychologist in Brooklyn; he was beaten in a New York subway station - West 4^th Street, of all places, the heart of the city’s gay community – for holding hands with Peter, his partner. Interestingly, we see the local television news story about the incident to launch the topic. Masterson is an engaging talker (as a rapper, one would hope). We get to meet his school’s principal, Dakota Keyes, and even some students, who fully support him.

Mykel's flag dance

Flag dance performance artist Mykel picked someone up and brought him home, where he was attacked and beaten. Back in the mid-1980s, I worked with a man named Glen who had a great sarcastic sense of humor, who was murdered by someone he brought home, so I can empathize with the event. While being afraid of reporting this incident to the NYPD, he reaches out to Beverly Tillery, who is the Executive Director of the New York Anti-Violence Project (AVP). She is also interviewed, giving a lifeline for those who may need her services. The person who counseled Mykel was transgender icon, Victoria Cruz.

Victoria Cruz, Mykel

Victoria was at the Stonewall riots in 1969 (as was musician Jayne County), becoming a crisis counselor at AVP, literally saving lives with her generosity of spirit (e.g., to paraphrase, “Don’t say ‘victim,’ say ‘survivor’”). Dressed in Native American paraphernalia, she meets with Mykel at a Brooklyn beach and they talk. I am not ashamed to say I was teary at one point.

Leia

Thus, the viewer is introduced to Leia. She is a single mother from Denver, whose 9-year-old son, Jamel, committed suicide after being bullied. In my opinion, this is being fostered by right-leaning hate speech that is flooding the media. To me, outlets like FoxNews is as much to blame as his classmates that bullied him until he could not take it anymore. This is the desired future of the Republican party, while they hypocritically scream “save the children.”

Leia was counseled by members of local and national organization PFLAG, here represented by Bianca and Brett, who explain their services. It is really smart filmmaking to not only show the problems that the people who were attacked went through, and their journeys back to their lives, but also to focus on the organizations that are there to support people in those situations. I respect that a lot. Another example, which is focused on here is the first Straight-Gay Alliance advocacy group, The Swish Ally Fund, founded by Sue Sena, who is also featured.

Prince Manvendra Singh-Gohil

The centerpiece of the film is Prince Manvendra Singh-Gohil, the “world’s first openly gay prince,” who is from India. Of course, he received numerous death threats and abandoned by his family, which led him and his husband, Duke DeAndre, to become global ambassadors to LGBTQetc. rights. We meet him in India at a compound set up as a safe place for the LGBTQetc. community in that country. As he visits New York, they touch on the importance of Stonewall, and we see the triangular Christopher Street Park (a place I have been many times), directly across from the Stonewall. Nearly everyone in the film comes together for the coda at the World Pride Parade there (if I may digress, if you have the chance to get to a New York Gay Pride Parade, do it!). It is truly a joyous moment.

The director of this documentary, Cheryl Allison, is an actor, producer, and a filmmaker focused in on sexual-based injustices (e.g., Shatter the Silence in 2019). She does a magnificent job here getting the point across. One aspect of this I particularly liked is that she takes each case study and shows them individually, rarely cross-cutting back and forth between them until further on, when you realize all of the subjects intertwine in their lives one way or another. And yet, they roll from story to story, organically growing as one introduces the other and the effects they had on their lives. This gives a better picture of “flow,” from hurt to healing for each individual, since everyone had their own pathway through PTSD into health.

This film is mostly New York-centric, a “Blue” city in a “Blue” state, where generally being LGBTQetc. is not only broadly recognized, but mostly accepted. And, yet, even in this melting pot, there is a unfounded hatred for the “Other,” be it due to various religious beliefs or just being afraid to come out of the closet (e.g., Republicans like American Conservative Union chairman Matt Schlapp, who is currently accused to sexually assaulting a male driver during Hershel Walker’s failed campaign). What I would like to see, going forward, is this film become a series, because once one gets below the Mason-Dixon, I am willing to assume that the violence level would increase exponentially, and it needs to be addressed to be able to heal as a country.

This is a powerful testament to love that arises like a phoenix from violence, giving voice to advocacy and positiveness, rather than negativity. It manages to be emotional, inspiring, and pointed, without being maudlin, sappy nor sensationalistic. It is a powerful piece of work. This should be shown in schools across the country, especially in Red states like Florida and Texas, where homophobia is rampant.

The documentary is available on Apple TV, iTunes, Amazon, Vudu, DirectTV, and Spectrum, among others.

IMDB listing HERE

Photo Essay: Saskatoon PRIDE Part I: The Parade, June 16, 2012

Text and photos © Robert Barry Francos / FFanzeen, 2012
Pictures can be enlarged by clicking on them
A link to many more photos at the end

Each year, the number of the participants and viewers of both the Saskatoon PRIDE Parade and the subsequent Festival has doubled. The first year I saw PRIDE here, in 2010, it was held in the park behind City Hall, including peformances by Carrie Catherine and Absofunkinlutely, with the number around 1500. The next year it twice the size, and though it was in the same spot, it extended past the park and included the entire street in front of the Frances Morrison Library (the main public branch). The musicians that year were Jeffrey Straker (and band), and the duo Once Were Lovers. This year, it was held in Victoria Park, on the southern tip of the city, in a green space about the size (in my estimation) of the Sheeps Meadow in Central Park. This time it was once again Jeffrey Straker (and band), and the wonderful Kirby Criddle. There were other acts after I left (Kinnie Starr, Boy & Gurl, and Run Romeo Run), but the sun was getting’ to me, and I had a long walk home. In all three years, the lead-off were drag king and queens doing lip-syncing to dance hits.

While I didn’t walk the entire route of the parade this year, I did catch the gathering and launch, which was filled with excitement, wild costumes, camaraderie, and general good will. All the LGBTQ (if you don’t know, look it up!)-friendly businesses and religious orders were present, from the Quakers to the Synagogue. Even politicians – some out, some supportive – from two of the parties were in attendance, including the more liberal NDP (New Democratic Party) and the right-of-center Liberals, but there was a clear absence from members of the two ruling groups, the right-wing Conservatives and Saskatchewan Party. It’s been said that our mayor will appear at a car door opening if there is a camera there, but even he failed to make a showing (though he is right there every year at a religious organization's Prayer Breakfast… I’m just sayin’…).

Anyway, whether in costume or not, participants in the parade that marched through downtown were a happy lot, which is easily seen in the photos below.




Members of the Rosebud Burlesque group

AIDS Saskatoon, led by Nicole White kneeling in the foreground.

As much as I like the "Got Pride?" shirt, it's the tattoo that really caught my attention

Applying the final make-up

A young Gandoff

The NDP float

The defeated yet happy Liberals

Hula-hooping and dancing to the music coming from the floats

What I especially like about this shot is the light reflections on the face.

Joining in the fun



My favorite costume of the day, worn by Emily Striker.

The parade organizer unintentionally strikes a pose.

A pirate with that sign behind him was just too good to pass up.

Let the PRIDE parade begin!

An organization for those unsure or in need of help.

Mr and Mrs Gay Regina come to visit.

The armed forces are represented by asking and telling.

Perhaps it's the distortion, but I like this photo's flows.

Isn't this cliche already?

The obligatory large rainbow flag, not that there's anything wrong with it...

The Rainbow Theatre's (get it?) two-way car.

Religious organizations of all kinds were there.

Mr. Diva's represents the city's most infamous gay club.

And the media - here it's Global - questions viewers after the parade passes.

The link to many more photos [HERE]

PRIDE Saskatoon 2011: Part I - Parade, June 11, 2011

Text and photos (c) Robert Barry Francos
Photos can be enlarged by clicking on them

I arrived at the parade late, with it already in progress. Dropped off a block away, I ran and ran (and ran) to get to the front of the procession, which went on for many block. It was much larger than last year's, I'm pleased to say.

Saskatoon has a large and vocal gay population, and that number was more than equalled by friends, families, and supporters, who lined the route, marched alongside, or rode on the floats. Car horns honking and people applauding were met by cheers from the participants and onlookers alike.

Here are some of the images I captured along the parade route, with some varied comments in between.

Diva's, arguably the top spot in town to see drag shows, was a sponsor of the parade and fest that followed. Their float had it's own DJ at the turntables, playing beats and lively sounds.





I love the image of the tattoo'd mom on skates next to the flag-carrying stormtrooper. No one was excluded.



Drag kings and queens abounded.

As with last year, Saskatoon's roller derby league was present and in force.


Religious groups also made their presence felt, one even offering to marry anyone, an obvious open letter if you will to those government clerks who recently refused to do so for "religious" reasons; they were told they must do so anyway by the courts.



The Punisher!
Note the two-fronted car, both of which have steering wheels. Rainbow Cinemas are the second run, cheaper theaters that we all love.
The only two "leather boys" I saw that day. The "Bear Flag" symbolizes men who like other hairy men (www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/qq-ibbf.html).


While politicians were in attendance, it was interesting to note that the largest group making an appearance were NDP (liberal), with a couple of Liberals (moderate conservatives), and no Conservative or Saskatchewan Party (both strongly conservative with "religious" bent) represented.
NDP candidate, coordinator of AIDS Saskatoon, and our friend, Nicole White, on the right.

The next blog will be about the festival that followed the parade.