Jesse
Finley
Reed
ALL MAN: The International Male Story
Official Selection of the Tribeca Festival 2022
From the 1970s to 2000s, the infamous International Male catalog landed unsolicited into millions of men’s mailboxes. Part magazine, part catalog, this "magalog" presented hard-bodied men in boundary pushing clothing, who seemingly traveled the world in style. From poet's blouses and pleated pants, to exotic underwear and mesh body suits, the catalog challenged conventional men's fashion, calling into question what it meant to be a man.
The hot male models, boys-next-door, appealed to both gay and straight audiences alike. For gay men, these sensually dressed men provided a gateway into a fantasy world–providing an escape from AIDS and homophobia. For straight men, the catalog gave them permission to take fashion risks without threat to their masculinity, in an era of Miami Vice and gym culture.
For over three decades, the International Male catalog queered the image of the all-American boy, ultimately changing attitudes about men’s fashion, masculinity and sexuality in America.
The Long Shadow of Fear:
A documentary film about coming out in the age of AIDS, 1985-1996
Between 1985-1996 a new generation of gay men came out in the age of AIDS. They had learned about sex and sexuality through the lens of AIDS, having witnessed the atrocities of the epidemic growing up. The Long Shadow of Fear is a documentary feature that weaves together the stories of 6 gay men of this generation from across the US, exploring the epidemic’s impact and influence on their life. Told through a combination of reenactment, verite and seated interviews, we follow their stories, chronicle their evolution, and see how their lives were uniquely transformed.