Seen at...
Check It
- Director: Dana Flor; Toby Oppenheimer
- Producer: Dana Flor; Toby Oppenheimer
CGiii Comment
Strength in numbers...gangland culture ain't just for the straight boys. Tough, fierce, flaming screaming queens unite...you wouldn't wanna cross these kids! They are out of control!
Being gay and black...that's a whole different ball-game, they in a world of their own...they live in a system that has - undeniably - failed them. They live on a road that's 'dark and thin' - gangin', bangin', prostitution and drugs - chances of survival 50:50. Terrifying!
No doubt this film will come into its own...when revisited in 10 or 20 years, who survived and who died. This is a whole different world...filmed over 2 years, the filmmakers certainly earned their stripes. The - obvious - scaffolding of trust is plain to see!
There is a glimmer of hope in the apparent hopelessness. There's a home-made camaraderie, a vital support network, a self-governing family.
What's so special about Check It...they survive - for the time being - any which way they can.
Fab-u-lous...for the time being. We'll check back with Check It in 10 years time...it probably will be a whole different story.
Trailer...
CHECK IT Trailer from Check It Film on Vimeo.
The(ir) Blurb...
Fed up with being pushed around, a group of gay and trans teens of color form a gang and fight back on the brutal streets of Washington D.C. They call their gang ‘Check it’ and this group of one-time victims of bullying, rape and abuse have turned the tables on anyone trying to hurt them. The group formed to provide its members safety in numbers and let people know that if they jump a queer kid in D.C., they may get beaten into a coma. This raw and intimate portrait follows three childhood friends as they struggle to survive and claw their way out of gang life through an unlikely avenue: fashion. Co-directors Toby Oppenheimer and Dana Flor create a moving story of empowerment and a provocative exploration of class, marginalization and gang violence in the United States.
—Dan Hunt