Ask Any Buddy

Movie Summary: A kaleidoscopic snapshot of urban gay life during the gay liberation era — or at least how it looked in the movies.

Queer Film LA Says: Long before LOVE, SIMON and CALL ME BY YOUR NAME became common fare at the multiplex, the only places gay men could see their lives and lusts depicted on screen was at their local “all-male” adult cinema. From coming out stories to romances, from bizarro horror to camp comedies, the hundreds of films churned out by the gay adult film industry throughout the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s were a driving force behind the growth of gay culture and constitute a largely forgotten cinematic document. A video companion to the Artforum “Best of 2018” Instagram feed of the same name, ASK ANY BUDDY compiles fragments from over 125 movies to create a kaleidoscopic snapshot of the era. With rare footage shot at dozens of real, legendary, and long since demolished queer cruising spots and social spaces, ASK ANY BUDDY is a funny, sexy portrait of urban gay life in the years following the Stonewall Riots—or at least how it looked in the movies.