Making Sweet Tea

Synopsis

E Patrick Johnson's oral history of gay Black men in the South, Sweet Tea, was based on the memories and perspectives of six friends. This is the story of how his research became a play, and what it meant to capture a community at the cultural heart of our wider movement. From the etymology of tea-spilling to the resilience and brilliance of gay people of the area, Making Sweet Tea is both a queer history lesson and a character study. The material realities of lives in 'double jeopardy' are explored: HIV/AIDS, Black gay male friendship, gay men growing up in the American Baptist tradition, interracial dating, and stories of survival, but the charm and joy of these men never quits. With drama (and not just the Patti Labelle drag) and just enough tea being served, this is the most soulful documentary of the year.