'Gay Chos Deep South' Review: Gay Choir Preach to the Converted - Variety

Contents:

• GAY CHOS DEEP SOUTH
• ‘GAY CHOS DEEP SOUTH’ REVIEW: SGG DOWN HOMOPHOBIA
• FILM REVIEW: ‘GAY CHOS DEEP SOUTH’
• REVIEW: ‘GAY CHOS DEEP SOUTH’ DISVERS SURPRISG HOSPALY THE BIBLE BELT
• ‘GAY CHOS DEEP SOUTH’ REVIEW: FIGHTG BIGOTRY THROUGH SONG, BUT WH NO SOUL
• GAY CHOS DEEP SOUTH
• ‘GAY CHOS DEEP SOUTH’: FILM REVIEW | TRIBE 2019
• FILM REVIEW: GAY CHORUS DEEP SOUTH (DIRECTED BY DAVID CHARL RODRIGU; DEBUTS ON POP, LOGO AND PLUTO TV 12/20, 2020)
• 'GAY CHOS DEEP SOUTH': TRIBE REVIEW
• GAY CHORUS DEEP SOUTH

GAY CHOS DEEP SOUTH

The latter is quoted early on David Charl Rodrigu’ documentary, “Gay Chos Deep South, ” by s central subject, Tim Seelig, who me out as gay after 35 years of livg what he found to be a lie. Yet his love of gospel mic and s munal power led him to ntue embracg the art form as Artistic Director of the San Francis Gay Men’s Chos (SFGMC), and after endurg the hateful vrl empowered by Tmp durg the 2016 electn, he cid to take his group on tour.

Such is the premise for Rodrigu’ film, which spls s tle to two separate rds, as if to acknowledge the sheer ngy of “Gay Chos” and “Deep South.

Seelig appears almost disappoted when his terview on a right-wg rad work Knoxville ends wh the host, wearg a Make Rad Great Aga hat, praisg his group for their msage of uny, before claimg off-air that southerners hostile to the gay rights movement are the extreme mory. Ls welg is Queer historian John Burford, who adms to Seelig that the very notn of a goodwill tour embarked upon by the SFGMC feels “whe paternalist and nscendg” to gay southerners who otherwise feel ignored.

‘GAY CHOS DEEP SOUTH’ REVIEW: SGG DOWN HOMOPHOBIA

Produced by Jse Moss, whose enragg Netflix docu-seri, “The Fay, ” provid ample evince for why the godlsly rpt Natnal Prayer Breakfast should be abolished, “Gay Chos Deep South” challeng to accept s hopeful msage at a time where our paranoia and cynicism is fensibly at an all-time high. As expected, the majory of naysayers the film refe to have their fac shown on mera, om the anonymo ller spewg bile to the homophobic senr mister Knoxville newly appoted by the Bishop to steer his church away om progrsive views. Gay Chos Deep South (2019).

Movi|‘Gay Chos Deep South’ Review: Sgg Down Homophobia ADVERTISEMENTOn a tour of stat that have enacted laws rtrictg the rights of LGBTQ people, mic mak a difference on a personal Documentary FilmsGay Chos Deep SouthDirected by David Charl RodriguDocumentary, Mic1h 40mWhen he first discs what motivated him to book the San Francis Gay Men’s Chos on a tour of five southern stat 2017, Tim Seelig, the group’s creative director, mentns the 2016 electn and the wing cultural divi Ameri. “Gay Chos Deep South, ” an unrstated documentary about the tour (the Oakland Interfah Gospel Choir joed ) directed by David Charl Rodrigu, soon unvers a more personal story behd the polil statement.

FILM REVIEW: ‘GAY CHOS DEEP SOUTH’

One, who has ncer, has been tranged om his homophobic father who liv Mississippi. A versn of this article appears prt on, Sectn C, Page 11 of the New York edn wh the headle: Gay Chos Deep South.

REVIEW: ‘GAY CHOS DEEP SOUTH’ DISVERS SURPRISG HOSPALY THE BIBLE BELT

Never unrtimate the power of mic to brg people together, even when the parti qutn are eply nservative Southern Christians and the San Francis Gay Men’s Chos. In rponse to a rise h anti-LGBT bigotry, the out-and-proud California choir planned a seri of ncerts across five of the stat wh the harsht laws agast homosexuals.

Neher the tour nor the Airbnb-backed, “Love thy neighbor”-themed “Gay Chos Deep South” doc that follows them n fully reverse the discrimatn and divisivens beg stirred up polics today, but both are powerful tools bridgg the prejudice gap. Turns out, the SFGMC went wh the somewhat patronizg goal of enlighteng Southerners via s Lavenr Pen Tour (named after the pen, a gift om Harvey Milk, wh which San Francis mayor Gee Mosne signed a gay rights bill to law four s earlier). Slick and a ltle simplistic at tim, “Gay Chos Deep South” mols self on the shape and stcture of realy-TV petn shows, neatly settg up and payg off certa emotnal suatns along the way.

Such gay-by-associatn assumptns no doubt expla why several alli feel the need to clare their heterosexualy on mera, and illtrate how ep the homophobia often ns the South. And yet, wh s optimistic, group-hug mentaly, “Gay Chos Deep South” nveys how much thgs have changed sce many opprsed ex-Southerners fled for havens such as San Francis. In October 2017, the San Francis Gay Men’s Chos celebrated s 40th season by tourg for a week across Ameri’s Bible Belt, promotg love and acceptance via ncerts stat wh some of the natn’s most discrimatory anti-LGBTQ laws.

‘GAY CHOS DEEP SOUTH’ REVIEW: FIGHTG BIGOTRY THROUGH SONG, BUT WH NO SOUL

One’s first reactn might be: Good luck wh as picted the stirrg, warm-hearted documentary “Gay Chos Deep South, ” which swiftly follows chos lear-nductor Tim Seelig and his chorale as they perform for large, enthiastic dienc Mississippi, Tennsee, Alabama and the Carolas, the group’s luck held out. Dpe ocsnal protters and naysayers (that we see, anyway), the chos, which was acpanied by the largely Ain Amerin — and one-third gay — Oakland Interfah Gospel Choir, seemed succsful spreadg their posive msag while sgg lots of betiful gospel and spirual mic. ”), the film’s director, David Charl Rodrigu (he -wrote wh edor Jeff Gilbert), has taken a maly upbeat, genero, spiratnal several profiled chos members origally hail om or near some of the tour’s more rtrictive, ls welg stat lends the movie a btersweet sger and ncer patient Jimmy Whe, his return to his native Mississippi (where HB 1523, Ameri’s most extreme anti-LGBTQ law, is effect) and rnn wh his tranged, homophobic father has a somewhat muted, if amiable, rult.

Meanwhile, the forthright Seelig, a former Southern Baptist mister, disturbgly reunts how he was sentially n out of town — and separated om his then-wife and their children — by his Texas megachurch when he me out as gay.

GAY CHOS DEEP SOUTH

Patricia Todd, Alabama’s first out gay legislator.

'Gay Chos Deep South' Not ratedRunng time: 1 hour, 32 mutPlayg: Laemmle Moni Film Center, Santa Moni. A documentary about a gay choir sgg their way through the Amerin South uld be an earnt tearjerker, or fabuloly entertag.

) Unfortunately, the tchy premise laid out “Gay Chos Deep South” never to life on the screen. While s heart is the right place, “Gay Chos Deep South” jt don’t sg.

‘GAY CHOS DEEP SOUTH’: FILM REVIEW | TRIBE 2019

It mak perfect sense that powerhoe documentary executive Sheila Nevs chose “Gay Chos Deep South” as her first project unr her new role as head of MTV Documentary Films. Directed by David Charl Rodrigu, “Gay Chos Deep South” follows the San Francis Gay Men’s Chos on a tour through the Amerin South.

In another bold move, the mil program offered gay-posive terpretatns of tradnally relig mic by changg lyrics to preach tolerance and love. It’s a personal missn for the sgers, many of whom left the South and other nservative small towns to fd muny the gay mec of San Francis.

FILM REVIEW: GAY CHORUS DEEP SOUTH (DIRECTED BY DAVID CHARL RODRIGU; DEBUTS ON POP, LOGO AND PLUTO TV 12/20, 2020)

When a different choir explibly pops near the film’s ncln and featur a transcennt phrase om a soulful woman soloist, viewers may fd themselv wishg the San Francis Gay Men’s Chos accepted more women. “Gay Chos Deep South” is the send feature documentary om David Charl Rodrigu, who shar wrg cred wh Jeff Seymann Gilbert.

'GAY CHOS DEEP SOUTH': TRIBE REVIEW

It’s unclear if Rodrigu uldn’t fd more dynamic terview subjects om the sea of sgg gay men, or if he felt necsary to foc heavily on Seelig. Last year’s “The Gospel of Eureka” offers a more creative take on how gay muni the South -mgle wh relign.

Set a ty Arkansas town that is home to both the biggt J statue the untry and one of the state’s only drag bars, “The Gospel of Eureka” succeeds where “Gay Chos” fails by tappg to an oddball specificy. Another take on a siar theme is Rob Epste and Jefey Friedman’s YouTube Origal documentary feature “State of Pri, ” which found unexpected characters to illumate the day to day liv of gay people livg the South. Whout pellg characters or one or two specific lotns to anchor , “Gay Chos Deep South” n’t fd the not.

GAY CHORUS DEEP SOUTH

MTV Documentary Films will release “Gay Chos Deep South” theaters on November 1. Gay Chos Deep South Photos. The San Francis Gay Men's Chos embarks on a tour of the Amerin Deep South.