One of my favorite filmmakers Patrik Ian Polk, who has brought us plenty of memorable projects such as the movie Punks, and two seasons of Noah's Arc (along with the movie Noah's Arc: Jumping The Broom) premiered his latest film The Skinny this past wekend at Outfest Fusion: The Los Angeles LGBT People of Color Film Festival in Los Angeles. Before he premiered The Skinny, which is about a group of young, sexy friends who reunite in New York City a year after they graduate from Brown University he was honored by filmmaker Lee Daniels (Precious) for his contribution as a black gay male in the Hollywood film industry.
Said Daniels in presenting Polk with the award: “Being a filmmaker is hard work. Being a black filmmaker is hard, hard work. Being a gay black filmmaker is next to impossible.”
“His work is so dope,” he added.
A clearly moved Polk, who revealed that he just finished editing the film a few days before it's premiere said the following:
“I’m very appreciative to be honored in this way. It means a great deal to me.”
Just so you know how insanely difficult it is to get movies with black gay characters as the lead the same press that would go see a romantic movie starring Chaning Tatum or Ryan Gosling, Polk is distributing the movie himself, and is also renting out theaters for a week and hoping word of mouth will get people's butts in some theater seats. The first run begins on April 6 in Washington D.C.
I've been itching to see this film since I saw the trailer a few months back, and the minute The Skinny touches down in New York City you best believe I will be throwing all my support behind this film. One of the reasons why I would love to win the $500 million Mega Millions (besides to help pay off my student loans) is so I can throw my money behind films like The Skinny so that kids who don't see themselves on TV and in film can see films like this and want to get inspired. He could have easily followed someone like, say Tyler Perry and just put out some nigger nonsense, become BFF's with Oprah and become a millionaire, but there comes a time where OUR stories have to be told the right way.
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