Pageant Material

As a filmmaker I strive to bring stories of everyday people to life in fresh and exciting ways, but more importantly as a gay man I yearn for more accurate and positive LGBT representation in film. While many films about LGBT identity set in the deep South focus solely on the opposition, we wanted to take a different approach and focus on painting the South in a tolerant light, despite a lack of resources

Naturally, there are characters who lack understanding of the LGBT community and will create conflict in our story. We as creators plan to show an overwhelming majority of characters who lead a life of acceptance, who strive to help, and who know that regardless of gender love is love. Who better to share that message than the film’s lead protagonist Rodney?

At his core, Rodney is character who is stronger and braver than I am. He is fearless and stands his ground in the face of oppression. He is smart, quick-witted, and unapologetically queer. He exists to celebrate queer difference, not straight acceptance. Rodney is everything I wish I was at seventeen. If only he existed when I were a teenager, he could’ve easily informed the person I am today.

I hope that audiences will look at this film and see the most realistic possible representation of life as a gay teen in the South. A teen who faces obstacles but also finds support in his given environment. I hope that this generation will see themselves in Rodney and will identify with his strength and courage. I hope we can celebrate his difference and individuality as a queer person and that people can see that what makes Rodney unique is just as important as what makes him “normal” in the eyes of his heterosexual counterparts.

This is why Rodney and this story are important. This is why I made this film. Narratives like ours get pushed to the background.

Together, we can bring this story to the forefront.