: It details his upbringing as the conservative son of a white supremacist in North Carolina, his early career working for arch-conservative Jesse Helms, and his military service in Vietnam.
: The documentary premiered at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival in March 2017 and later aired as part of the PBS series Independent Lens in early 2018.
is a 2017 documentary directed by Jennifer M. Kroot and Bill Weber that chronicles the life of the celebrated author behind the groundbreaking Tales of the City series . The film explores Maupin’s radical personal transformation and his enduring impact on LGBTQ+ literature and culture. Core Themes and Narrative
The documentary follows Maupin’s evolution through several distinct life phases:
: Actors Laura Linney (who starred in the Tales of the City miniseries), Olympia Dukakis , Sir Ian McKellen, Jonathan Groff, and Margaret Cho.
: A recurring theme is Maupin’s concept of the "logical family"—the community of friends and peers chosen to replace or supplement one's biological family.
The film features candid interviews with Maupin himself, as well as a wide array of his famous friends and collaborators: