Two gay dads will be the focus of a new science fiction film — not because they’re gay, but because they’re human.
Director Mike Buonaiuto’s Credence tells the story of an apocalypse on Earth that makes survival impossible. The only hope is on new worlds that support human life. Limited rocket capacity and the need for a long life expectancy mean that only children may evacuate — and only if their families can afford the tickets. Buonaiuto writes, “Our short film follows 2 fathers’ decision to make the ultimate sacrifice to give up all their possessions to ensure the survival of their daughter, and the entire human race.”
Positive portrayals of LGBTQ people in any film or show are always welcome. They are few and far between in science fiction and fantasy, although they do crop up here and there. To have them as the stars, however, especially in a story that isn’t “about” them being gay, is even rarer. I have to delve into television to recall any others: Captain Jack Harkness of Torchwood, and Xena of Xena: Warrior Princess (whose sexuality was never really clear until the end of the series). Interestingly, both Jack and Xena are also parents, each with a daughter — although with the exception of a few story arcs, their relationships with their children were not the focus of the series.
As near as I can tell, then (and please leave a comment if you know otherwise), Credence is the first science fiction or fantasy film/show to have gay parent protagonists whose sexuality isn’t the focus, but whose parental identity is. Check out a trailer below, and visit the film’s Indiegogo page for more details or to support efforts to produce the film, if you’re so inclined.
