Linked Data Explorer

"Marlon Riggs' essay film Tongues untied gives voice to communities of black gay men, presenting their cultures and perspectives on the world as they confront racism, homophobia, and marginalization. It broke new artistic ground by mixing poetry (by Essex Hemphill and other artists), music, performance and Riggs' autobiographical revelations. The film was embraced by black gay audiences for its authentic representation of style, and culture, as well its fierce response to oppression. It opened up opportunities for dialogue among and across communities. Tongues Untied has been lauded by critics for its vision and its bold aesthetic advances, and vilified by anti-gay forces who used it to condemn government funding of the arts.It was even denounced from the floor of Congress. "Black men loving black men is the revolutionary act" is the rallying cry at the film's end and after more than 20 years, Tongues untied remains a celebrated vehicle for eloquent self-expression and liberation."@en
"Black gay film-maker Marlon Riggs and poet Essex Hemphill collaborated to produce this landmark in the history of queer cinema. Eschewing traditional documentary forms, the film uses poetry, personal testimony, rap and performance, to describe the homophobia and racism that confront Black gay men. While the film details familiar narratives of discrimination- the man refused entry to a gay bar because of his colour, the college student left bleeding on the sidewalk after a gay-bashing- Riggs also presents, in a layered work of astounding beauty, the rich flavour of the Black gay male experience, from protest marches and smoky bars to the language of the 'snap diva' and Vogue dancer. 'Tongues Untied' became the center of a national controversy in 1991 when many public television stations refused to air it (as part of the P.O.V. series), and later when it was excerpted by Republican presidential candidate Patrick Buchanan as part of a muckraking television campaign."@en
""Derogatory accusations, judgements, and jokes in our culture are met head-on by this video about black, male, and gay identity. Poetry, personal testimony, and drama unite to oppose the homophobia and racism that attempt to split a person into opposing loyalties.""
"A tribute to the complexity of Black gay life, using poetry, personal testimony, and drama."
"In an experimental amalgam of rap music, street poetry, documentary film, and dance, a gay African-American man expresses what it is like to be gay and black in the United States."@en
"In an experimental amalgam of rap music, street poetry, documentary film, and dance, a gay African-American man expresses what it is like to be gay and black in the United States."
"Using poetry and performance, this film describes the homophobia and racism that confront black gay men in America."
"In an experimental amalgam of rap music, street poetry, documentary film, and dance, a gay African-American man expresses what it is like to be gay and black in the United States. Although he deals with social ostracism and fear of AIDS, he affirms the beauty and significance of the gay black man."
"In an experimental amalgam of rap music, street poetry, documentary film, and dance, a gay African-American man expresses what it is like to be gay and black in the United States. Although he deals with social ostracism and fear of AIDS, he affirms the beauty and significance of the gay black man."@en
"Derogatory accusations, judgments, and jokes in our culture are met head-on by this video about black, male, and gay identity. Poetry, personal testimony, and drama unite to oppose the homophobia and racism that attempt to split a person into opposing loyalties."@en
"An exploration of the African American gay experience through poetry, music, drama and reminiscences. Looks at both the pain and positively viewed sexual aspects of the experience."