Jack’d Presents: Our Stories, A Queer Film Series – Volume 4

Jack’d “unlocked” it’s fourth installment of “Jack’d Presents: Our Stories” today in partnership with NewFest, New York’s leading LGBTQ film and media organization. The queer film series, which streams on demand in the Jack’d app, features work from emerging and award-winning filmmakers whose stories center the voices and experiences of LGBTQ+ BIPOC (Black Indigenous People of Color). 

The fourth volume showcases aspects of the queer black experience, with four feature-length films and one short film addressing themes of community, health, and radical self-love. 

The films, co-curated by NewFest, are streaming on-demand in the Jack’d app from Sunday, June 20 to Saturday, June 26th:

TONGUES UNTIED | Directed by Marlon T. Riggs, 1989, 55 minutes

Synopsis: In this seminal documentary on Black gay life, Emmy Award-winning director Marlon T. Riggs’ uses poetry, personal testimony, rap and performance (featuring poet Essex Hemphill and others) to describe the homophobia and racism that confront Black gay men. The stories are fierce examples of homophobia and racism: the man refused entry to a gay bar because of his color; the college student left bleeding on the sidewalk after a gay-bashing; the loneliness and isolation of the drag queen. Yet they also affirm the Black gay male experience: protest marches, smoky bars, “snap diva,” humorous “musicology” and Vogue dancers.

CHOCOLATE BABIES | Directed by Stephen Winter, 1997, 83 minutes

Synopsis: A band of queer, self-described “raging, atheist, meat-eating, HIV-positive, colored terrorists” fight back against homophobic conservative politicians on the streets of New York in Stephen Winter’s wild guerrilla satire. Calling out government apathy to the AIDS crisis—particularly as it affected communities of color—CHOCOLATE BABIES blends exuberant camp and searing political anger into a radical statement of Black queer power in this NewFest and SXSW award-winner. 

WHEN THE BEAT DROPS | Directed by Jamal Sims, 2018, 85 minutes

Synopsis: Drop into the electric and subversive underground dance scene known as bucking. As voguing exploded out of the ballroom scene of NYC, bucking was boldly pioneered in the clubs of the Deep South as a new form of self-expression. WHEN THE BEAT DROPS presents a fresh glimpse into the magnetic artistry and flair behind this emerging dance culture. In his feature debut, famed choreographer and filmmaker Jamal Sims, who has worked with the likes of Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, and RuPaul’s Drag Race, illuminates the warm-hearted and fierce queer black performers who make up one of the leading “bucking” groups in the city of Atlanta. As they train for their biggest competition yet, they face the risk of losing their jobs and family to compete at the top levels of this dance scene. Jamal Sims calls dance a “super power,” and with this film he crafts a vision of the power of dance to bring movement to new heights and elevate the queer community.

BABY | Directed by Jessie Levandov, 2019, 8 minutes

Synopsis: Ali, a Dominican teenager from the Bronx, buys a present for his crush.

KIKI | Directed by Sara Jordenö, 2016, 94 minutes

Synopsis: 25 years after PARIS IS BURNING introduced the art of voguing to the world, KIKI revisits New York City’s thriving underground ballroom scene. It’s a larger-than-life world in which LGBTQ youths of color are empowered by staging elaborate dance competitions that showcase their dynamic choreography, fabulous costumes, and fierce attitude.

“Jack’d Presents: Our Stories” was developed and programmed by award-winning executive film producer Khalid Livingston for the Jack’d app and is available to stream to both free and subscription Jack’d members at no cost. 

Previously featured films include “Sojourn” by Jonathan Lewis, “Kings America Made” by Kameron Mack , “The Young And Evil” by Julian Breece, produced by Aaliyah Williams, “CHECK IT” by Dana Flor and Toby Oppenheimer, “Holy Matrimony” by Christen Mooney, “Growing Each Day” by Clifford Prince Kings, “unapologetic me” by Justin Dominic, “much handled things are always soft” by Derrick Woods-Morrow, “Other Black Boys” by Nyles Washington, and “P.D.A.” by Kadar Small.