We’re All Angels, a fascinating documentary on the rise of gay Christian pop duo Jason and deMarco, is scheduled to be part of the OutFlix Film Festival in Memphis.
The film, which is directed by first time filmmaker Robert Nunez, is an eye-opening look at the pop sensations, as they try to fit into two very different worlds, namely gay culture and the world of Christian music, and the problems they have being accepted in either.
Recently, director Robert Nunez, Jason Warner and deMarco DeCiccio spoke to O&AN on the film and its’ Memphis premiere. They were all excited to be returning to the Volunteer state.
“The people there were all so nice, and I got introduced to sweet tea.” Nunez laughs over the phone from Hollywood. This film, his first as a director after years of working behind the scenes on such films as A Beautiful Mind and Babe, was a spiritual journey that began when he read a cover story on Jason & deMarco in the Advocate.
“I saw their photo and assumed they were two more straight models on the cover of a gay magazine who were going to tell us how cool they were with gay people,” recalls Nunez. What he found inside, however, was unexpected.
“I was relieved to read that that they were gay,” he admits. “And they were spiritual. And they were a couple. As a non-religious person myself, I always believed gay Christians were like battered wives, groveling to be accepted by organizations that had nothing but contempt for them. But these boys weren’t groveling at all. Instead they seemed proud, in love and ready to take on the Christian right.”
Indeed, it is the inspirational story of not only two gay artists trying to break into the Christian music scene, but also of two regular gay guys, trying to make a relationship work against enormous odds.
“Jason and deMarco were different than what I expected. I pictured them in my head as sweet, naïve guys who strum their guitar and sing quaint songs of love and spirituality around the country. What I found were two guys who are very savvy and hip. We met at a restaurant to discuss the project and I was surprised when they ordered beer. They are very moral, decent loving guys but they also have wicked senses of humor, drop an occasional cuss word and aren’t afraid to talk about sex. They are real guys!”
Nunez takes great pains in the film to show a balanced view of the pop stars, something Jason and deMarco appreciated from the beginning.
“The Advocate cover introduced us to people outside of the community of faith. It was very exciting and I definitely think it introduced us to many new people,” says Jason. “The irony, however, was that we were launching our mainstream pop career but The Advocate focused on the gay Christian aspect of who we are, and so many people assumed that our music was gay and Christian. We became the poster boys for the gay Christian community. We have had to work hard at clarifying that although we are both gay and men of faith, our music is not religious or gay. Our music has a message, and if I had to call it anything, it would be uplifting. We want it to speak to everyone, not only people of one particular faith.”
“There were at least two shows that were canceled for us after the Advocate, because promoters in the gay community assumed we were going to try and convert everyone,” adds deMarco.
It’s been a few years since the world swirled around the boys in a storm of controversy. With the film, a new album, and more fans every day, J&D are finally getting the mainstream attention that has eluded them.
Last summer, the duo released their fourth album, Till the End of Time produced by Alan Lett, with additional production from Grammy Award winning producer, Joe Hogue, Rhys Fulber and Eddie X and Luigie Gonzalez.
This mainstream pop/rock release offers an edgier sound to fans and takes listeners on a journey through the depths and emotional plateaus of relationships from discovering love, to losing it, then rediscovering it and holding onto it and trusting that it will last the test of time. Jason and deMarco wrote seven of the album’s twelve songs. Additional writing credits on the disc include the two-time Academy Award, Grammy and Golden Globe nominated songwriter, Allan Rich.
“It’s a powerful and extremely personal album,” reflects deMarco. “It is essentially the story of our lives together as we battle what others want us to be, while staying true to our beliefs in who we are.” Adds Jason, "through our music, we strive to give hope that it is possible to be gay and spiritual and to a have a loving partner with whom to share your life and dreams."
While Jason & deMarco tour internationally in various venues, they also continue sharing their music and message with the community of faith around the world. The duo performs over one hundred concerts per year.
We’re All Angels will play on August 19th at 7:00 p.m., at the OutFlix Film Festival. Director Robert Nunez will be in town for the festival, and for a Q&A about the film.
For tickets, dates, and times, please visit www.myspace.com/wereallangels or www.jasonanddemarco.com.
