Since 1988, POV has had the privilege of sharing authentic stories of lesbian, gay and gender non-conforming people and introducing audiences to the strength and diversity within this community. Celebrate LGBT Pride Month this June by watching these five films, including a new film from our 30th anniversary season.
You can also bring these films to your communities with the new-and-improved Community Network. Explore more than 90 titles that are available for free for community organizations, librarians, teachers, PBS stations and engaged individuals who wish to screen these films to the public. Each film also comes with educational materials to further engage audiences with the topics explored in our documentaries.
Memories of a Penitent Heart by Cecilia Aldarondo
Filmmaker Cecilia Aldarondo suspected that there was something complicated about her uncle’s death. Memories of a Penitent Heart excavates a buried conflict around her Miguel, who died at a time when AIDS was synonymous with sin. Through interviews with members of her Catholic family and Miguel’s former partner, the film is both a tribute and a cautionary tale of how faith can be used and abused in times of crisis. A co-presentation with Latino Public Broadcasting (LPB).
Premiering on PBS July 31, 2017 | Screen the film beginning June 19.
Out in the Night by blair dorosh-walther
In 2006, New York City tabloids reported an attack by a “gang of killer lesbians.” Out in the Night tells the story of the women behind these headlines. A group of African-American lesbians were harassed and assaulted by a man on the street, and when the group defended themselves, they were charged with gang assault and attempted murder. Out in the Night follows that sensational case, and shows how the justice system can have a devastating effect on those who are already marginalized for their race, gender and sexuality. A co-production of ITVS. A co-presentation with the National Black Programming Consortium (NBPC).
Screen the film | Lesson Plan | Discussion Guide | Reading List
StoryCorps Shorts: The Saint of Dry Creek by Julie Zammarchi
Patrick Haggerty grew up the son of a dairy farmer in rural Dry Creek, Washington, during the 1950s. As a teenager, Pat began to understand he was gay — something he thought he was hiding well. But one day, after performing at a school assembly, Pat learned that his father could see him much more clearly than he realized. Part of the 2015 StoryCorps series on POV. Since 2010, POV and StoryCorps have brought over 30 animated shorts to PBS and online audiences. Founded by Dave Isay, StoryCorps records and preserves the voices of everyday people, one conversation at a time.
Screen the film | Watch the film online
Georgie Girl by Annie Goldson and Peter Wells
In 1999, Georgina Beyer was elected to New Zealand’s Parliament, becoming the world’s first transgender person to hold national office. A rural, conservative, predominantly white constituency defied expectations to elect this former sex worker of Maori descent. With footage from nightclub performances and parliamentary debates, Georgie Girl chronicles Georgina’s transformation from farm boy to cabaret diva to grassroots community leader.
Screen the film | Lesson Plan | Discussion Guide | Reading List
From This Day Forward by Sharon Shattuck
From This Day Forward is a moving portrayal of an American family coping with one of life’s most intimate transformations. When director Sharon Shattuck’s father came out as transgender and began living as Trisha, Sharon was in the awkward throes of middle school. Her father’s transition to female was difficult for her straight-identified mother, Marcia, to accept, but her parents stayed together. Years later, Shattuck’s film seeks a deeper understanding of how her parents’ marriage, and their family, survived intact.
Screen the film | Lesson Plan | Discussion Guide | Reading List
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