2017 Pride Issue - P&E Picks

Logo Documentary Films has presented its first documentary, titled Strike a Pose. The film catches up with seven young male dancers who made it big as featured dancers on Madonna’s acclaimed and controversial tour, Blond Ambition, followed by her titillating documentary, Truth or Dare. The dancers, Oliver Crumes III, Carlton Wilborn, Luis Camacho, Salim “Slam” Gauwloos, Jose Gutierrez, and Kevin Stea (with discussions about the late Gabriel Trupin, another fellow dancer), unwittingly become icons for gay rights and sexual freedom. Twenty-five years later, they share their experiences during and after the tour, including secrets they have kept, up until now, to themselves. The critically acclaimed documentary from directors Ester Gould and Reijer Zwaan, and from the Emmy Award-winning Logo Documentary Films, was an official selection at the 2016 Tribeca, Berlin, and Hot Docs Film Festivals.

​“These seven dancers from the Blond Ambition tour inspired a whole generation. From the halls of the ballrooms to center stage, their bold self-expression was a true, pop-culture inspiration,” said Taj Paxton, VP of Logo Documentary Films. “We’re proud to showcase the men behind the woman and to stir the next generation of leaders and tastemakers in the LGBTQ community.”

This film captures such raw emotion as you dive into the backgrounds of six individuals who were not prepared for what fame would bring them. The Truth or Dare section of the reunion dinner gives you a closer, emotional glimpse of the Madonna boys who are now men. Strike a Pose is available for download on Itunes. http://www.strikeaposefilm.com/

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Below Her Mouth
One of the boldest and sexiest dramas of the year, April Mullen’s Below Her Mouth tells the story of an unexpected romance between two women whose passionate connection changes their lives forever. Below Her Mouth is a rarity in more than one way: it’s a narrative shot with an entirely female crew, and it’s an uncommonly frank look at the all-encompassing nature of attraction—the good, the bad, the ugly, and the transcendent. www.belowhermouth.com

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Flames
Filmed over five years, Flames follows real-life couple Josephine Decker and Zefrey Throwell from the white-hot passion of first love to the heartbreak of the bitter end. High on their intense connection, the pair of artists document their relationship’s every beat, from their adventurous sex life, to their performance art collaborations, to a spur-of-the-moment getaway to the Maldives. But when the romantic vacation doesn’t exactly go as planned, the now-former couple are left to decide what to do with their film-in-progress, and for these two filmmakers, the end of the relationship isn’t the end of the story. www.flamesthemovie.com

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Claws
Let us introduce you to your new guilty pleasure! Claws, set in a Central Florida nail salon, is a wickedly dark and hilarious look at a sisterhood of ladies. Claws follows the rise of five diverse and treacherous manicurists working at the Nail Artisan of Manatee County salon, where there is a lot more going on than silk wraps and pedicures. At the center is salon owner Desna (Niecy Nash, Getting On, The Soul Man), who lives with and cares for her mentally-ill twin brother, Dean (Harold Perrineau, Lost, Oz). Desna’s staff includes best friend Jennifer (Jenn Lyon, Justified), a tenuously sober ex-party girl raising two children from previous relationships; Quiet Ann (Judy Reyes, Scrubs), Desna’s enigmatic driver who also provides security for the salon; Polly (Carrie Preston), a mild-mannered preppy who recently served time in prison for identity theft; and Virginia (Karrueche Tran), who makes no effort to hide her boredom and impatience with her job.

Adding chaos to the mix is Roller (Jack Kesy, The Strain), a gangstered-out redneck who runs a barely legal pain clinic and uses Desna’s nail salon to launder their obscene profits; Bryce (Kevin Rankin, Dallas Buyers Club), Jennifer’s husband who is also newly sober and trying to stay legit by working as an abundance coach; Dr. Ken Brickman (Jason Antoon), a bona fide doctor at a decidedly un-bona fide drug clinic; and Uncle Daddy (Dean Norris, Breaking Bad), a dangerous Dixie Mafia crime boss who is deeply Catholic and actively bisexual.

​The show is a high-energy, laugh riot that draws you in and leaves you wanting more. Claws premieres on June 11 on TNT. - Provided by TNT