Johnny Symons

In the 1970s, five men struggling with being gay in their Evangelical church started a bible study to help each other leave the "homosexual lifestyle." They quickly received over 25,000 letters from people asking for help and formalized as Exodus International, the largest and most controversial conversion therapy organization in the world. But leaders struggled with a secret: their own “same-sex attractions” never went away. After years as Christian superstars in the religious right, many of these men and women have come out as LGBTQ, disavowing the very movement they helped start. Focusing on the dramatic journeys of former conversion therapy leaders, current members, and a survivor, PRAY AWAY chronicles the “ex gay" movement’s rise to power, persistent influence, and the profound harm it causes.

Over the last three decades, science has been advancing our understanding of stress: how it impacts our bodies and how our social standing can make us more or less susceptible. From baboon troops on the plains of Africa, to neuroscience labs at Stanford University, scientists are revealing just how lethal stress can be. Research tells us that the impact of stress can be found deep within us, shrinking our brains, adding fat to our bellies, even unraveling our chromosomes. Understanding how stress works can help us figure out ways to combat it and how to live a life free of the tyranny of this contemporary plague. In Stress: Portrait of a Killer, scientific discoveries in the field and in the lab prove that stress is not just a state of mind, but something measurable and dangerous.

What if your most controversial act turned out to be the most traditional thing in the world? Daddy & Papa explores the growing phenomenon of gay fatherhood and its impact on American culture. Through the stories of four different families, Daddy & Papa delves into some of the particular challenges facing gay men who decide to become dads. From surrogacy and interracial adoption, to the complexities of gay divorce, to the battle for full legal status as parents, Daddy & Papa presents a revealing look at some of the gay fathers who are breaking new ground in the ever-changing landscape of the American family.

In 1996, Women's Educational Media released their groundbreaking documentary Its Elementary-Talking About Gay Issues in School. It's Still Elementary tells the fascinating history of why and how the 1996 film was made, the infamous response it provoked from the conservative right, and the questions it raises about the national safe schools movement today. Includes interviews with some of the original students and teachers from Its Elementary.

Visionary artist Rashaad Newsome merges art, AI, and performance to create a multimedia tribute to vogueing and Black queer culture. Invited to stage a show at New York’s Park Avenue Armory, he reclaims the space from its white military past, transforming it into a Black queer utopia. Joined by global collaborators and Being—an AI ‘digital griot’—Newsome’s creative journey unfolds in this immersive documentary. Through striking visuals and storytelling, the film celebrates community, resilience, and the power of art to heal, unite, and spark liberation.

A film that reveals the personal stories of Americans willing to risk their lives for a country that criminalizes the act of coming out. Current and veteran gay soldiers reveal how "don't ask don't tell" affects them during their tours of duty, as they struggle to maintain a double life. The film also follows gay veterans and young organizers turning to forms of personal activism to overturn the policy.

Mobilizing working-class transgender hairdressers and beauty queens, the dynamic leaders of the world's only LGBT political party wage a historic quest to elect a trans woman to the Philippine Congress.

Beyond Conception is an intimate portrait of a gay male couple, an egg donor, and a lesbian surrogate who find themselves on a high-tech journey to build a modern family. Over two bumpy years of disappointments and triumphs, they discover the complexities of creating life using unconventional means.

Reflections on growing older. Gay men of different ages ponder what it means to get older in a culture that youth obsessed.

About Louie's Barber Shop in San Francisco's Castro neighborhood, since 1947.