Check It
Description
Threatened by homophobic violence on an almost daily basis, a group of African American gay and trans youngsters living in Washington, DC, form a gang to confront and defeat their victimizers in this rousing, raw and often very funny documentary. Since three Washington, DC, ninth graders seeking their own brand of justice founded Check It in 2009, its ranks, in what could be the only gay/transgender gang in America, have swelled to more than 200 youths. Filmmakers Dana Flor and Toby Oppenheimer follow a small group of resilient members as they seek to discover why so many are drawn into the fold. Hope is a rare commodity on these tough streets where some sell their bodies to get by and where the Check It crew confronts violence with violence. But toughness can be a hard act to pull off 24/7 and the film turns poignant when some of the young men channel their passions into fashion, trans rights and community activism. A ray of light comes through along with the guidance of three influential men—a gang counselor, a fashion show producer and a boxing club owner—that makes a better tomorrow feel possible. —Randy Myers
Toby Oppenheimer has worked in a variety of capacities in documentary filmmaking, including director, producer and cinematographer. He received an Emmy nomination for his role as a co-producer on Devil’s Playground (2002). Among his films as a director are The Nine Lives of Marion Barry (2007) and Dixie Mafia (2013).
Dana Flor wrote and directed two Emmy-nominated documentaries for NBC TV, Latinos in Beisbol and Cesar Chavez. As a journalist, she’s covered stores for Reuters Television, National Geographic, CNN and more. With Toby Oppenheimer, she directed The Nine Lives of Marion Barry (2007).
Trailer
//player.vimeo.com/video/161237709?autoplay=1Film Details
Language English
Year 2016
Runtime 90
Country USA
Director Dana Flor, Toby Oppenheimer
Producer Wren Arthur
Editor Tom Patterson
Cinematographer Tony Oppenheimer
Music Paul Brill