YOU'RE WATCHING QUEER TV traces the legacy of iconic queer public access series such as THE EMERALD CITY, AIDS COMMUNITY TELEVISION, DYKE TV, and GAY MORNING AMERICA through the journey of a present-day group of artists and activists coming together to reimagine these programs.
YOU'RE WATCHING QUEER TV traces the profound impact and enduring legacy of LGBTQ public access programs. The film unveils the compelling journey of queer and trans creatives who united in the face of a devastating epidemic, ongoing violence, and evolving cultural attitudes to "incite, subvert, provoke, and organize" with television. Through the lens of four trailblazing shows—THE EMERALD CITY, GAY MORNING AMERICA, OUR TIME, and DYKE TV—we venture back in time to uncover the untold narratives of queer trailblazers who revolutionized the airwaves. As a response to the current wave of social division, the film prompts an exploration of the essence of queer TV. Presented through crafted reenactments of archival segments, YOU'RE WATCHING QUEER TV also raises the question of how we create contemporary queer media.
Brit Fryer is an artist and filmmaker from Chicago's South Side, currently based in Brooklyn, NY, whose unique approach to nonfiction storytelling centers on gender and queerness through process-forward and collaborative methods. His most recent film, THE SCRIPT, co-directed with Noah Schamus, unpacks the boundaries of language and the role of performance in shaping an expansive and gender-expansive healthcare system. The film was shortlisted for the 2023 IDA Awards and won the Creative Activism Award at the 2024 SIMA Awards. It is distributed on The Criterion Channel and The New Yorker.
He is also the director of CARO COMES OUT, which premiered on HBO Max after winning the Knight Made in MIA Award at the Miami International Film Festival. His other films include ACROSS, BEYOND AND OVER and TRANS·IENCE.
His films have been screened in theatres and festivals internationally, including Blackstar, CPH: DOX, Newfest, and MIX NYC. He has received generous support from Sundance, the Gotham, and Points North.
Fatales Forward: Trans Stories Fellowship 2023 - Fellowship Recipient
Constance Saltonstall Foundation for the Arts 2024 - Residency Recipient
Yaddo 2024 - Residency Recipient
