Tongues Untied

Tongues Untied

1989. USA. Directed by Marlon Riggs. Tongues Untied blends documentary, personal reflection, and fiction into an unconventional narrative about the specificity of black gay identity; in addition to documentary footage detailing North American black gay culture, Riggs also tells of his own experiences as a gay man. These include the realization of his sexual identity and coping with the AIDS-related deaths of many of his friends. Other elements within the film include footage of the civil rights movement and clips of Eddie Murphy performing a homophobic stand-up routine. (MR; POV) 55 min.