Straightlaced: How Gender’s Got Us All Tied Up
From girls confronting popular messages about culture and body image to boys who are sexually active just to prove they aren’t gay, the students in Straightlaced illustrate the toll that deeply held stereotypes and rigid gender policing have on all of our lives.
"Watching Straightlaced rekindled both the outrage and the hope that came with bringing Harvey Milk’s story to the screen. This new documentary is a rare gem that provides a forum for young people to speak eloquently about the courage it takes to break out of the box, live authentic lives, and stand up for justice."
"As in Chasnoff’s previous recent works, the film is remarkable for the candor with which its subjects speak – in this case, teens discussing their frustrations with gender roles and stereotypes."
"I applaud this film because it actually brings forward the discussions that have to be a part of any community, and any school, if we are really going to treat everybody with dignity and respect… That’s what this movie does. It lifts kids up to make them realize that it’s okay to be who you want to be."
"I cannot overstate how important this documentary is to helping our children and young adults escape violence and find their own ways in life."
"There is at least one individual in the film for any viewer to identify with. Perhaps the greatest thing about this documentary is the way it provides dozens of models of self-acceptance and healthy attitudes towards the ways others express themselves in behavior and dress."
" …a work of huge importance, that is both challenging and accessible."
"Chasnoff’s riveting and often funny documentary sparks dialogue about the effect of homophobia on gender roles in high school and how these issues affect all of us."
Pariah
This beautifully shot, award-winning coming-of-age drama depicts a lesbian teenager unsuccessfully juggling multiple identities to avoid rejection from her friends and family. Set against the kinetic and incongruous social landscape of middle class New York City, Alike vacillates between being a proud and sexually independent young woman amongst her openly gay friends and being the feminine, obedient girl that her strict Christian upbringing dictates she be. Torn by mounting pressure from home, school, and within, the line between her dual personas wears thin, with explosive consequences.
"Rees’ jaw-droppingly good PARIAH continues to reel in awards. Rees shows stellar talent in both writing and directing with her story of a Bronx high school girl uncertainly trying to explore multiple identities."
"Rees hit home with her story of a Bronx teenager caught between two worlds… the cinematography, by Bradford Young, is layered and evocative…PARIAH will be remembered as one of Sundance 2008’s gems."
"Packs wisdom and wit into its brief running time… the film deftly sketches the way in which not only does societal bigotry serve as an obstacle to queer self-realization, but so – quite often – do the expectations of the queer community itself."