A documentary about racism and blackness in the porn business is currently causing a stir. The film is being celebrated at several film festivals, and the ReelOut Film Festival has awarded the film in its »Best Documentary« category. With the participation of numerous BIPOC performer, the documentary reports on a complicated issue that the industry is dealing with more and more.
The ReelOut Film Festival has awarded the film »Being Black in Porn« by Dwight Allen O’Neal the award for best documentary of the year. The film, which chronicles the life and work of black performers in the porn business and explores complex issues, features performers such as Max Konnor, Dillon Diaz and DeAngelo Jackson.
The film explores the specific experiences of male black porn performers. This includes experiences with racism, such as being cast as servants or thugs, as well as having to face white performers who refuse to work with them in front of the camera because of the color of their skin.
»Being Black in Porn« also tackles stereotypes and clichés, such as black talent being expected to have a large penis. The subject, however, are more tangible problems such as numerous inequalities, as black performers are reported to earn less money than their white counterparts.
The film’s director, Dwight Allen O’Neal, said at the awards ceremony for the film, »I want to thank everyone involved in this project and ReelOut for not only accepting our feature into their festival but awarding us ‘Best Documentary,’. This honor is especially impactful during Black History Month; we want to leave a lasting mark and start conversations with this documentary, delving into triggering topics [about] gay, BIPOC, sex workers. Our hope is that our documentary creates a better understanding of these men and sends a message to everyone that #BlackLivesMatter everywhere, in everything and within every industry.«
He added, »This means the world to me. I’m humbled and grateful to ReelOut for this big win. I appreciate everyone who was willing to go on camera and speak their truth for our documentary; it’s a story that needs to be shared. I hope ‘Being Black in Porn’ continues to win accolades and is seen all over the world.«
The film is currently only showing at film festivals.