DOCUMENTARY
70 minutes
In a culture celebrated for its rich traditions, close-knit families, and strong faith, being Latino and gay, bisexual, or transgender is often unmentionable – and frequently unforgivable
Tal Como Somos (Just as we are) exposes the realities of living within a culture where strong beliefs about sexual identity mean condemnation and rejection for those whose sexual orientation or manner is different. This feature length documentarycandidly examines the lives of six gay Latino men, one transgender woman, and the ties that bind them: their families and friends, religion, and the cultural experiences that shape them. The bilingual film (English/Spanish) showcases individuals who dare to risk it all to live – and be loved - for their truth.
In Chicago:
Meet Gus and Marcelo, a driven young Mexican couple whose love unites them despite a conflict over faith, a church that rejects them, and childhood physical abuse.
In Washington D.C:
Meet Gabriela, once a boy who was repeatedly ridiculed, has spent a lifetime proving to her Mexican family and herself that she’s worthy of acceptance as a woman. Now a substance abuse survivor and happily married, she works with Ernesto, a Venezuelan who fled everything he knew, still struggling to find a way to tell his family he’s living in America as an HIV-positive bi-sexual man.
In New York:
David, Columbian and single, buries his past and attempts at suicide with a new life in lower Manhattan, finding comfort in friends, purpose in work, and residual pain in confronting the humiliation of being branded "gay-boy" since grade school.
In San Francisco:
Oscar, the only son of Cuban immigrant parents, is learning to navigate family and societal contradictions as he crosses – and shatters - accepted gender boundaries. In the same city, Dusty, a long-married Panamanian parent to two adopted children, narrates and interweaves their stories from a place of wise experience.
As a film and outreach medium, Tal Como Somos showcases the courage required to live one’s truth and reinforces the universal message that the “right” way isn’t right for everyone. Produced in Spanish and English with subtitles, and intended for audiences ages fourteen through adult, the documentary openly confronts the deep scars that condemnation and cultural prejudice can leave upon one’s psyche and loved ones. Each individual contributes a personal perspective on what it means to be bisexual, gay, queer, or transgender. Together they express the good, the not-so-good, and the realizations that have brought them to where they are today. Tal Como Somos challenges the way we look at the “other” and ourselves.
The film is a collaboration between Juneteenth Productions and the University of Illinois at Chicago, and is based on fifteen years of research on HIV/AIDS and stigmatization among Latino gay men and transgender persons by University of Illinois at Chicago Professor Jesus Ramirez-Valles, PhD. It is directed and produced by Judith McCray. Executive Producer is Jesus Ramirez-Valles. Funding was provided by the National Institutes of Health.
For more information contact Juneteenth Productions (773).275.9820 / www.juneteenthproductions.com
EDUCATIONAL VIDEO
33 minutes.
In a culture celebrated for its rich traditions, close-knit families, and strong faith, being Latino and gay, bi-sexual, or transgender is often unmentionable—and frequently unforgivable.
Tal Como Somos (Just as we are) exposes the realities of living within a culture where strong beliefs about sexual identity mean condemnation and rejection for those whose sexual orientation or manner is different. This 33 minute educational videocandidly examines the lives of five gay Latino men, one transgender woman, and the ties that bind them: their families and friends, religion, and the cultural experiences that shape them. The bilingual film (English/Spanish) showcases individuals who dare to risk it all to live – and be loved - for their truth.
In Chicago:
Meet Moises, a youth activist whose narration throughout the film clarifies each story as he simultaneously shares his own experiences as a young, gay Latino man. He introduces Gus and Marcelo, a driven young Mexican couple whose love unites them despite a conflict over faith and a church that rejects them.
In Washington D.C:
Meet Gabriela, once a boy who was repeatedly ridiculed, has spent a lifetime proving to her Mexican family and herself that she’s worthy of acceptance as a woman. Now a substance abuse survivor and happily married, she works with Ernesto, a Venezuelan who fled everything he knew, still struggling to find a way to tell his family he’s living in America as an HIV-positive bi-sexual man.
In New York:
David, Columbian and single, buries his past with a new life in lower Manhattan, finding comfort in friends, purpose in work, and residual pain in confronting the humiliation of being branded "gay-boy" since grade school.
As a film and outreach medium, Tal Como Somos showcases the courage required to live one’s truth and reinforces the universal message that the “right” way isn’t right for everyone. Produced in Spanish and English with subtitles, and intended for audiences ages fourteen through adult, the documentary openly confronts the deep scars that condemnation and cultural prejudice can leave upon one’s psyche and loved ones. Each individual contributes a personal perspective on what it means to be bisexual, gay, queer, or transgender. Together they express the good, the not-so-good, and the realizations that have brought them to where they are today. Tal Como Somos challenges the way we look at the “other” and ourselves.
A discussion guide is included to facilitate classroom and community dialogue.
The film is a collaboration between Juneteenth Productions and the University of Illinois at Chicago, and is based on fifteen years of research on HIV/AIDS and stigmatization among Latino gay men and transgender persons by University of Illinois at Chicago Professor Jesus Ramirez-Valles, PhD. It is directed and produced by Judith McCray. Executive Producer is Jesus Ramirez-Valles. Funding was provided by the National Institutes of Health. It is distributed by Films for the Humanities and Sciences.
For purchase information contact www. films.com