| Fish Out of Water dives into the underbelly
of America, crisscrosses red and blue states and talks to ministers from
every denomination to uncover America’s impassioned relationship
with homosexuality and the Bible. With slapstick animation and quirky
interviews taken everywhere from barbershops to mega churches, Fish Out
of Water delivers a voice to the oppressed and informs to the misled. We’ve seen the “God Hates Fags” picket signs. We’ve heard homosexuality described as unnatural and “sinful”. The gay marriage debate defined the 2004 presidential election, if not decided it. A culture war trumpeting homosexuality as a wedge issue has reshaped our political landscape and galvanized small town America. However, a rising group of spiritual leaders and academics are speaking out against the mistreatment of the GLBT community, often at the expense of their jobs, family and congregations. These bold clergymen and women are declaring that gays have been wrongly berated and strategically oppressed for political and financial gain. The film takes an investigative look at how wedge-issues are crafted and implemented for social and political profit. Fictitious theology involving homosexuality has been manipulated to form public policy and spur morality debates. During interviews with some of the country’s most educated theologians, it becomes clear that perceptions surrounding homosexuality are unfounded in almost every major religion. The Bible’s stance on the subject is dissected and dismantled, leaving the audience wondering how a raging cultural debate over the issue still prospers. In a wider sweep, the film looks at how wedge issues are created, who formulates them and why they work so well. Analyzing the cross-stitching of Washington think-tanks with prominent political journalists and academics, the film leaves viewers baffled at how our homeland has been covertly pumped with information from the pulpit. Most importantly, Fish Out of Water sits down with hundreds of gay, lesbian, transgendered and bisexual folks to impart their experiences with faith and sexuality. By putting a face on the experience of bigotry and familial hardship, the film quietly presents the victims of an unnecessary wedge-issue war. By capturing the “other side of the debate”, Fish Out of Water shatters deep-rooted discrimination and challenges those who are spoon-fed information without ever questioning or exploring the legitimacy of it. This fast-paced, loud, revolutionary documentary is packed with color, laughs, tension, and a compact education on a topic that is more relevant today than ever in the history of the world. No matter who you are, you will be left with a mind that is racing, an eyebrow that is rising and possibly even a fist pumping in the air. |