A B O U T J O H N N Y S Y M O N S
Johnny Symons is an Emmy-nominated documentary film and videomaker based in the San Francisco Bay Area. His film DADDY & PAPA (2002), about the personal,cultural, and political impact of gay men raising kids, premiered at Sundance, won more than 15 major festival awards, aired nationally on PBS’ Independent Lens and received a national Emmy nomination for Best Documentary. His film BEYOND CONCEPTION (2006), a feature documentary about the relationship between a lesbian surrogate and a gay male couple as they conceive and bear a child, premiered at the Florida Film Festival and aired on Discovery Health Channel. Johnny is the co-producer of the Academy Award-nominated LONG NIGHT’S JOURNEY INTO DAY (2000), a feature documentary about South Africa’s search for truth and reconciliation, which won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival. His newest award-winning documentary, ASK NOT (2008), about gays and lesbians serving in the US military under the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, premiered at the San Francisco International Film Festival, broadcast nationally on PBS’ Independent Lens, and screened on Capitol Hill.
Johnny has been creating films since 1991, and has dedicated much of his documentary career to revealing the complexities of gay people’s lives as a means of countering homophobia. His work has screened at more than 200 international film festivals and is used by hundreds of college educators and community organizers to build awareness of LGBT issues.ÊHis past films include:
BEAUTY BEFORE AGE (1997), an exploration of the fear of growing older in the gay male community (NEMN Gold Apple Award, International Documentary Association nomination)
SHAVING THE CASTRO (1995), a portrait of a 70-year old Castro Street barber shop (national public television broadcast)
OUT IN AFRICA (1994), an exploration of black African gay life (Best Documentary, Turin Gay and Lesbian Film Festival).
Johnny’s other documentary credits include:
WITNESS TO GUANTANAMO (in production)
IT’S STILL ELEMENTARY (2008)
STRESS: PORTRAIT OF A KILLER (2008, National Geographic/PBS)
LOST BOYS OF SUDAN (2003, PBS)
BUBBEH LEE AND ME (1996, HBO)
THE CELLULOID CLOSET (1995, HBO)
In conjunction with his production company Persistent Visions, he has worked as a producer, director, cinematographer, and editor for numerous clients including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Illinois Institute of Technology, the San Diego Museum of Art, and the PBS gay and lesbian cultural affairs show In the Life.
Johnny graduated with honors from Brown University and has a Master’s degree from Stanford University's Documentary Film and Video Program. He teaches at a variety of Bay Area film departments, including Stanford, University of San Francisco, California College of the Arts, San Francisco State University, and the Art Institute of California-San Francisco.
Johnny Symons is an Emmy-nominated documentary film and videomaker based in the San Francisco Bay Area. His film DADDY & PAPA (2002), about the personal,cultural, and political impact of gay men raising kids, premiered at Sundance, won more than 15 major festival awards, aired nationally on PBS’ Independent Lens and received a national Emmy nomination for Best Documentary. His film BEYOND CONCEPTION (2006), a feature documentary about the relationship between a lesbian surrogate and a gay male couple as they conceive and bear a child, premiered at the Florida Film Festival and aired on Discovery Health Channel. Johnny is the co-producer of the Academy Award-nominated LONG NIGHT’S JOURNEY INTO DAY (2000), a feature documentary about South Africa’s search for truth and reconciliation, which won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival. His newest award-winning documentary, ASK NOT (2008), about gays and lesbians serving in the US military under the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, premiered at the San Francisco International Film Festival, broadcast nationally on PBS’ Independent Lens, and screened on Capitol Hill.
Johnny has been creating films since 1991, and has dedicated much of his documentary career to revealing the complexities of gay people’s lives as a means of countering homophobia. His work has screened at more than 200 international film festivals and is used by hundreds of college educators and community organizers to build awareness of LGBT issues.ÊHis past films include:
BEAUTY BEFORE AGE (1997), an exploration of the fear of growing older in the gay male community (NEMN Gold Apple Award, International Documentary Association nomination)
SHAVING THE CASTRO (1995), a portrait of a 70-year old Castro Street barber shop (national public television broadcast)
OUT IN AFRICA (1994), an exploration of black African gay life (Best Documentary, Turin Gay and Lesbian Film Festival).
Johnny’s other documentary credits include:
WITNESS TO GUANTANAMO (in production)
IT’S STILL ELEMENTARY (2008)
STRESS: PORTRAIT OF A KILLER (2008, National Geographic/PBS)
LOST BOYS OF SUDAN (2003, PBS)
BUBBEH LEE AND ME (1996, HBO)
THE CELLULOID CLOSET (1995, HBO)
In conjunction with his production company Persistent Visions, he has worked as a producer, director, cinematographer, and editor for numerous clients including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Illinois Institute of Technology, the San Diego Museum of Art, and the PBS gay and lesbian cultural affairs show In the Life.
Johnny graduated with honors from Brown University and has a Master’s degree from Stanford University's Documentary Film and Video Program. He teaches at a variety of Bay Area film departments, including Stanford, University of San Francisco, California College of the Arts, San Francisco State University, and the Art Institute of California-San Francisco.