A group of Black gay men and a transgender woman speak of their lives and how they made to through difficult times to where they are now thriving.
This documentary by Ryan Ashley Lowery takes on a less explored part of the LGBTQ community, that of Black people in the community, their own experiences, their lives, how being at the crossroads of two marginalized community is like. The film here comes from a point of view that is not trying to reach to absolutely everyone. If one feels this is not for them, there is a high chance that it won’t change their minds, but for those interested, or even just mildly curious, the documentary does great at showing where these community intersect and how each part of these communities can affect the individuals who are a part of both. The documentary shows here how this can be approached and brought the screen with respect for the individuals being interviewed, their specific communities, and their broader communities as well.
Each interviewee brings something of interest to the discussion from the point of view of a former preacher to that of a transgender woman with every other point of view in-between seemingly being present. Through these interviews, the documentary opens doors and shows realities that affect many for the general public to learn from but also for younger members of these overlapping communities to find themselves and see that they are not alone. Helping do this are Derek J, Simone Tisci, Obio Jones, and Octavius Terry as part of the interviewees, each of them bringing their own viewpoint on their lives, their communities, and how the latter affected the former for them but also for others they know. Their interviews are quite candid, look to be gently guided by Ryan Ashley Lowery to get them talking without leading them too much so that each of them has a better chance at getting what they want to across. The interviews here are the highlight of the film. There is also some archival footage, but the interviews are the main part and the one that shines.
Technically, the film looks great. The cinematography is simple and effective, making great use of the locations and lighting, showing that a good set-up with a good crew can make a film look fantastic. The editing, the music, all of it comes together to create a cohesive film, one that not only works well as a non-fiction, but also as a testament of a cross-segment of population telling their lived experience.
Light Up is a documentary about a very specific group of people, Black members of the LGBTQ community, and it does fantastic work of showing their lives, letting them tell their own stories of their lived experiences. It’s a documentary that will connect deeply with some and will likely not be something others will even pay attention to which is their loss as it could open their eyes to a reality that is not their own, one that they affect directly and indirectly.