• checkit-01

“Dana Flor and Toby Oppenheimer’s engrossing, well-crafted doc could parlay its attention-grabbing subject beyond the fest circuit…”

— Dennis Harvey,


“The larger gay community’s apathy is ironic…given that the organizing of Check It, like many gay uprisings, was an organic resistance to bigotry.”

— Rich Juzwiak,


“Oppenheimer and Flor embed themselves, become friends with, and then tell the story of America’s only documented all-LGBTQ gang.”

— Natalie Rinn,


“Hope and motivation for a life away from gang violence came through an unusual outlet: fashion.”

— Leigh Nordstrom,


“Living in one of the most dangerous neighborhoods of nation’s capital, the gang is now working to create their own clothing label…”

— Graham Winfrey,


“The documentary…gives a voice to a forgotten subculture for which self-expression is simultaneously dangerous and all-important.”

— Hannah Ongley,


“A very candid conversation (with Dana Flor, Toby Oppenheimer, Moe, and Tray) about their experience making the film…”

— Laura Anne Harris,


Check It looks at a group of inner-city L.G.B.T. youth in Washington who form a gang…”

— Mekado Murphy,


Check It, a documentary that follows a group of friends in an LGBT gang in D.C., premieres at the Tribeca Film Festival in April.”

— Mariah Cooper,


“…The film focuses on four leaders, how they joined Check It and their efforts to find a better life out of the street through fashion.”

— Clarence Williams,


Check It
2016 | USA | 89 min
ABOUT THE FILM

LONG SYNOPSIS

At first glance, they seem unlikely gang-bangers. Some of the boys wear lipstick and mascara, some stilettos. They carry Louis Vuitton bags, but they also carry knives, brass knuckles and mace. As vulnerable gay and transgender youth, they’ve been shot, stabbed, and raped.

Once victims, they’venow turned the tables, beating people into comas and stabbing enemies with ice picks. Started in 2009 by a group of bullied 9th graders, today these 14-22 year old gang members all have rap sheets riddled with assault, armed robbery, and drug dealing charges.

Led by an ex-convict named Mo, Check It members are now creating their own clothing label, putting on fashion shows and working stints as runway models. But breaking the cycle of poverty and violence they’ve grown up in is a daunting task. Life for the Check It can be brutal, but—it’s also full of hope and an indomitable resilience. At its heart, CHECK IT explores the undying friendship that exists between these kids—an unbreakable bond that is tested every day as they fight to stand up for who they are in a community relentlessly trying to beat them down.


Directors Dana Flor, Toby Oppenheimer
Producers Dana Flor, Toby Oppenheimer, Wren Arthur
Executive Producers Steve Buscemi, Stanley Tucci, Jon Kamen, Dave O'Connor, Justin Wilkes
Editor Tom Patterson
Cinematographer Toby Oppenheimer
Music Paul Brill

FESTIVALS
2016: Tribeca (World Premiere)

FESTIVAL TERRITORIES
The World

EXHIBITION FORMATS
DCP, Blu-Ray, DVD


PRESS KIT

Download Press Kit


AVAILABLE PRESS IMAGES (click to preview)
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DOWNLOAD IMAGES

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DIALOGUE LIST

Download Timecoded Dialogue List

EMBED TRAILER

Go to YouTube Page


WEBSITE

http://www.checkitfilm.com