A celebration of a life lived and the discovery of what chosen family looks like when the universe deals you a heavy blow out of left field. Far from a sad story it is a hopeful and emotional tale that will remind us to lean into each other when the rug gets pulled out from under us.

In this Brazilian film, despite being barred from attending her religious service, Mel does not give up professing her faith. Every night, she prepares posters and takes them to the church door, waiting for the day she will be able to walk inside again. This documentary is a accurate testament to the agency and tenacity of the LGBTQ+ community.

Our main feature for a themed Marlon T. Riggs night at the Brattle: Tongues Untied is an experimental doc combining personal narratives, poetry, performance, and Riggs' own commentary to create a powerful and multifaceted portrayal of Black gay life. Combined with 3 of Marlon's short films that speak to the resilience of what it means to be Black and Gay during the late 80's and early 90's, which still ring true today. This is very much a holy grail program for me as a programmer, Marlon's films touched and inspired me as a filmmaker when I first saw them in the early 90s as a young Queer activist. This grouping of films is a must see for anyone interested in Gay history.