I may be a bit late to the (screening) party on this one, but a friend turned me on to a great documentary last night called "Red Without Blue," which is now streaming on Netflix. The film tells the story of Mark and Alex Farley, identical twin brothers from rural Montana, whose picture-perfect family unravels when their parents divorce and son Alex comes out of the closet in middle school, which goes over like a Mariah Carey T-shirt at a Madonna concert. Drugs, sexual violence and a joint suicide attempt follow, and the boys are eventually sent to separate reform schools for two years (with no contact) then reunite with Alex announcing -- much to Mark's unease -- he is transitioning to Clair. To say Kimberly Reed's "Prodigal Sons" is informed by this is a huge understatement, with gender identification and sibling rivalry issues running amok. (What's in the water in Montana anyway? The population is 12 and virtually everyone there is transgender.)
Unlike Kimberly's mother, however, the Farley matriarch has a hard time accepting what's become of her children (despite her totally fun '80s asymmetrical haircut), and her point of view is examined in detail taking the viewer on a roller coaster from deep sympathy to deep hatred to deep understanding as she watches her children struggle to carve out a safe place in the world. (And wait'll you see her current relationship "status"!) Great stuff from co-directors Brooke Sebold, Benita Sills and Todd Sills. You can learn more at the film's official site HERE.
Saw this on Sundance or IFC last year. In addition to being an absolutely fascinating look at some beautiful and amazing people, it has a superb soundtrack.
I may be a bit late to the (screening) party on this one, but a friend turned me on to a great documentary last night called "Red Without Blue," which is now streaming on Netflix. The film tells the story of Mark and Alex Farley, identical twin brothers from rural Montana, whose picture-perfect family unravels when their parents divorce and son Alex comes out of the closet in middle school, which goes over like a Mariah Carey T-shirt at a Madonna concert. Drugs, sexual violence and a joint suicide attempt follow, and the boys are eventually sent to separate reform schools for two years (with no contact) then reunite with Alex announcing -- much to Mark's unease -- he is transitioning to Clair. To say Kimberly Reed's "Prodigal Sons" is informed by this is a huge understatement, with gender identification and sibling rivalry issues running amok. (What's in the water in Montana anyway? The population is 12 and virtually everyone there is transgender.)
Unlike Kimberly's mother, however, the Farley matriarch has a hard time accepting what's become of her children (despite her totally fun '80s asymmetrical haircut), and her point of view is examined in detail taking the viewer on a roller coaster from deep sympathy to deep hatred to deep understanding as she watches her children struggle to carve out a safe place in the world. (And wait'll you see her current relationship "status"!) Great stuff from co-directors Brooke Sebold, Benita Sills and Todd Sills. You can learn more at the film's official site HERE.
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Saw this on Sundance or IFC last year. In addition to being an absolutely fascinating look at some beautiful and amazing people, it has a superb soundtrack.
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