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LOGO To Air First Black Gay Film On TV LOGO, the LGBT network from Viacom has a historic deal to bring the first black gay film to television. The film, a feature-length dramatic comedy called "The Ski Trip", was written and directed by filmmaker Maurice Jamal (“Chappelle’s Show”). "The Ski Trip" tells the story of five friends in New York City who venture on a weekend getaway to the Catskills to celebrate the lead character’s thirtieth birthday. Filmed on location last winter, Ski Trip won rave reviews and awards on the 2004 film festival circuit. “It’s amazing that we will be able to move from script to screen in about a year,” said director Jamal. “I think it’s a reflection of the quality of the film that we were able to sell it so quickly after only being shown on the festival circuit.” With directing credits from the immensely popular hit “Chappelle’s Show,” Jamal said he wanted Ski Trip to show that it is possible to produce quality independent films on a fixed schedule. The producers also wanted to add diversity to the mix of black and gay characters on television. “Until now, the gay images in the popular media have usually been white gays or one-dimensional black characters,” said producer Nathan H. Williams. “It’s revolutionary to see a group of black gay characters on TV who show the true diversity of our communities," added Jamal. Despite their success, Jamal and his partners are not resting on their laurels. They are already working on their next film, Dirty Laundry, which begins casting in December and starts filming in January 2005. Ski Trip will be shown on LOGO in February 2005. |
