Living Out Loud with Darian

LOGO has been teasing me lately with the commercial for the 2004 critically acclaimed film Brother to Brother, directed by filmaker and writer Rodney Allen .

BROTHER TO BROTHER is the story of Perry (Mackie), a young black artist kicked out of his family home for being gay. Trapped between the worlds of the black community and the gay community, Perry searches for a connection in the real world. As his friend Marcus is performing his new poetry, an elderly man appears seemingly out of nowhere and begins reciting verse to them. He disappears just as quickly and elusively as he arrived. In his library research for a class project, Perry finds a book about the Harlem Renaissance and recognizes a poem—"Smoke, Lilies and Jade" by Bruce Nugent—as the same one that the man was reciting. Soon they encounter each other again at the homeless shelter where Perry works.

When Perry confronts Bruce about who he really is and begins to ask him about the Harlem Renaissance, the two men embark on a literal and metaphorical journey to the creative center for the younger, rebellious generation of the Harlem Renaissance. Although the house is now dilapidated, BROTHER TO BROTHER visits the landscape of Bruce's memories, which exposes Perry to the legacies and hardships of pioneering black authors. By witnessing the pride that Bruce and friends exuded, Perry begins to gain a stronger sense of identity.

On a network that caters to the gay community, it's still exciting when I see people of color represented. It's a possibility that yours truly will soon be seen on LOGO, so keep your fingers crossed. Brother to Brother will be a welcomed change from reruns of Queer As Folk and the lack of presence of their most popular scripted show. What was the name of that show again? Noah's Arc...now I remember.

Labels: Entertainment