Explosive Anita Bryant Doc Exposes Florida’s Dark LGBTQ History

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Anita Bryant is getting the documentary treatment.

news arrives following her death on December 16, at the age of 84, which was confirmed by her family almost three weeks later in January. Bryant gained prominence as a pop singer and Oklahoma beauty queen. Later, she became recognized as the symbol of Florida citrus through her efforts to promote orange juice in TV commercials and print advertisements – she popularized the phrase “a day without orange juice is like a day without sunshine” – but her popularity declined when she transformed into an anti-gay activist. The Christian wife and mother collaborated with the Save Our Children campaign to repeal a local ordinance in Miami that prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation.

The nonfiction project, titled “Save Our Children,” originates from Trojan Horse Media, under the direction of Kareem Tabsch and production by Alex Fumero. This documentary will scrutinize Florida’s involvement in the nationwide struggle for gay rights by delving into how the 1977 crusade spearheaded by Bryant ignited the political battle surrounding LGBTQ rights. As stated by the filmmakers, this documentary explicitly connects this historical campaign to today’s political landscape, once more placing Florida at the heart of a national cultural conflict.

Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida is spearheading a highly aggressive anti-LGBTQ+ legislative campaign, aiming for greater national recognition. This includes targeting drag shows and transgender healthcare. Save Our Children points out striking similarities between these strategies and those used during the 1977 crusade, which are still being employed today. These legislative attacks, recalling past discriminatory actions, pose a threat to the advancements made towards equality and safety. Presently, the emphasis has shifted towards marginalizing the transgender community, increasing their vulnerability in our society. The anti-LGBTQ+ efforts in Florida are not merely political maneuvers; they aim at obliterating our communities from existence.

The movie creators intend to use historical records and previously unseen footage to draw connections, potentially linking this to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ “Don’t Say Gay” initiative, Trump’s anti-LGBTQ discourse, and the contentious Project 2025 under the title “Save Our Children“. This project is backed by Firelight Media, the Lynn & Louis Wolfson II Family Foundation, and the Miami Film Festival. At the moment, no distributor has been secured for the film.

Tabsch and Fumero collaborated to unveil the project “Trojan Horse” in 2022, which followed the Emmy-nominated Netflix documentary titled “Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado“. Their latest ventures encompass podcasts such as “Crumbs” and “More Than a Movie“, along with feature documentaries like “Naked Ambition, Razing Liberty Square” for PBS’s Independent Lens, “Menudo: Forever Young” for Max, and the ongoing production of “Take It Away“.

Previously, award-winning director Tabsch has led projects such as “Naked Ambition”, “Mucho Mucho Amor”, “The Last Resort” and the short film “Dolphin Lover”. Meanwhile, fellow Emmy nominee Fumero is presently overseeing a spin-off of “Welcome to Wrexham” for FX and Disney+ Latin America titled “Bienvenidos a Necaxa“. This series focuses on Mexico’s soccer team Club Necaxa and its famous owners Eva Longoria, Ryan Reynolds, and Rob McElhenney. Fumero has previously held positions as Vice President of Original Programming for HBO and Senior Director of Programming and Development for Fusion.

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2025-02-03 20:33