The first three minutes of this film are among the most difficult I've ever sat through, but I'm glad I did. It would have been too easy to say that what was shown on the screen is disturbing and that it doesn't affect me. But I would have been wrong. It does. It affects us all.
The Boston Gay Men's Chorus (BGMC) travels in this film to Poland, Israel, South Africa, and Turkey. It's also all too easy to dismiss those destinations as not having anything to do with living in the United States today, but I think it would be a way too convenient excuse on my part.
One of the most powerful and important quotes in the movie is from Reuben Reynolds III, BGMC Musical Director, "I'd like to think that we created a sense of activism in them (the audiences) so that they realize that this didn't just happen. It's not enough to fight the fight to make the changes, you have to fight the fight to keep the changes," and that's a lesson that has never been more urgent in the United States than today.
But I don't want to imply that the film is any sort of preachy attempt to make people take up protest signs. It's not. Instead it's a heartfelt message of love and healing, and often from people who have been deeply hurt by hatred, homophobia and racism, too often in the name of religion. Religion is often used as a justification for hatred, so it's only fair this film uses some of religions' most beautiful spiritual songs to heal. But one certainly doesn't have to be religious to appreciate the message. I'm not.
This is honestly a 'joyous' film, sung with amazing bravery, precision and love. Above all this is a film of hope, showing that even in the darkness someone can light the way.
Seeing the Chorus at Wits University in Johannesburg, South Africa singing Tshotsholoza, a traditional protest song sung by the miners as they go to work in the mines every day under apartheid, is both heartbreaking and amazingly uplifting in equal measure.
But then seeing the audience members spontaneously stand after the performance, and raise their voices and their hands and sing the song back to the Chorus... it's almost overwhelming. And you can see the effect this has on the Chorus who, after a few moments of surprise, gleefully join back in with the audience.
One of the chorus members in the film says, "There was a young man in George (South Africa) who said 'this concert has lifted six months of depression off my shoulders'. I feel like I have been completely changed by this experience." In a way, so have I.
The film shows many examples of what a positive impact just one appearance by the BGMC made on people's lives, too often in the face of brutal protest and violence.
Jude Erondu, BGMC member since 2019 says, "A lot of us see the United States as that beacon of hope." I hope we can continue to be that beacon of hope.
An amazing production that the writers, directors and film crew have every right to be very proud of. As certainly does everyone associated with BGMC.
This film is absolutely worth seeing.
I've watched it twice.
K. Daniel.