Gays Against Guns - AUDIENCE AWARD WINNER + SPECIAL JURY MENTION - DUBLIN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Gays Against Guns takes us to the front lines of the American gun violence epidemic, seen through the eyes of an Irish immigrant, who left Ireland when it was illegal to be gay in search of the ‘Gay American Dream’. But political sands shifted and this dream quickly unraveled. The Pulse nightclub massacre changed everything. With 49 people murdered, it was the worst mass shooting in the U.S. at that time. It was also the catalyst for the formation of an extraordinary new activist group - Gays Against Guns - who have been fighting for gun reform ever since.
We follow our narrator, the filmmaker, from neon splashed street protests into the corridors of power, as he documents GAG’s actions over a ten year period, from that fateful night in Orlando, through the chaos of today’s unhinged, divided America. The film blends the narrator’s personal reflections with fearless, outrageous, often hilarious political theatrics. GAG adopts the tactics of civil disobedience and direct action, forged during the AIDS crisis and fight for Marriage Equality, to give gun toters and puppet politicians a serious run for their money.
Between all the action - wildly colourful protests and glittering drag - we hear survivors’ stories. Kit, who lost her beloved daughter Bailey, a Black transgender teen, to gun violence. Antonius, an Asian American artist who channels the trauma of his shooting into fierce activism. The film takes us on an emotional rollercoaster, combining deeply moving scenes with moments of levity. Legendary filmmaker John Waters even chimes in with his notoriously sharp wit.
An inspiring David and Goliath story for our turbulent times, the film is a testament to resilience, community, and the power of caring for a perfect stranger.
Produced with support from Screen Ireland.
Paul Rowley
Paul Rowley is an Irish filmmaker and visual artist based in Brooklyn, New York. For over twenty years he has been making work that combines elements of documentary, video art, and fiction into immersive and often politically engaged films. His work has screened at the Centre Pompidou, Berlin Film Festival, Irish Museum of Modern Art, Irish Film Institute, SXSW and many film festivals internationally. Past feature documentaries include SEAVIEW, a film made in collaboration with asylum seekers in the former Butlin’s holiday camp in Mosney, Ireland, and THE RED TREE which tells the little known story of Mussolini’s prison island for gay men. He has twice been nominated for Irish Films and Television Awards and was recipient of the Irish Museum of Modern Art’s Glen Dimplex Award. His 2022 film GAYS AGAINST GUNS follows a radical direct action group of LGBTQ+ activists as they work to end the American gun violence epidemic.
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