O V E R V I E W
ASK NOT is a rare and compelling documentary film that explores the effects of the US military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on gay and lesbian soldiers and service members. The film exposes the tangled political battles that led to the discriminatory law and examines the societal shifts that have occurred since its passage in 1993. Current and veteran gay soldiers reveal how “don’t ask, don’t tell” affects them during their tours of duty, as they struggle to maintain a double life, uncertain of whom they can trust. The film also explores how gay veterans and youth organizers are turning to forms of personal activism to overturn the policy. From a national speaking tour of conservative universities to protests at military recruitment offices, these public events question how the U.S. military can claim to represent democracy and freedom while denying one segment of the population the right to serve.
P R I N C I P A L C R E D I T S
Johnny Symons persistent-visions.com, Director/Producer, is an award-winning Bay Area-based documentary film and videomaker. 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. BEYOND CONCEPTION (2006), his 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. Symons is the co-producer of the Academy Award-nominated LONG NIGHT’S JOURNEY INTO DAY (2000), which won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival. A documentary filmmaker since 1991, Symons graduated with honors from Brown University and has a Master’s degree in documentary production from Stanford University. He currently teaches documentary film at both Stanford and the Art Institute of California-San Francisco. FULL BIO
Andrew Gersh gershpost.com, Editor, is a documentary film and video editor based in Berkeley, California. His work has appeared on PBS (including NOVA and FRONTLINE), ABC, MSNBC, National Geographic, Discovery, Turner Broadcasting, the BBC in the United Kingdom and in movie theaters worldwide.
Leah Wolchok redorafilms.com, Co-Producer, is an award-winning filmmaker who got her start in the documentary world at the Oxygen network. Her short films have screened at festivals worldwide, including the HBO Frame-by-Frame Documentary Film Series and Silverdocs. She received a BA in English from Yale and an MA in documentary production from Stanford.
F E A T U R E D C O L L A B O R A T O R S
Call to Duty Tour calltodutytour.org
Palm Center palmcenter.org
Servicemembers United servicemembersunited.org
Soulforce soulforce.org
Full Production Credits
ASK NOT is a rare and compelling documentary film that explores the effects of the US military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on gay and lesbian soldiers and service members. The film exposes the tangled political battles that led to the discriminatory law and examines the societal shifts that have occurred since its passage in 1993. Current and veteran gay soldiers reveal how “don’t ask, don’t tell” affects them during their tours of duty, as they struggle to maintain a double life, uncertain of whom they can trust. The film also explores how gay veterans and youth organizers are turning to forms of personal activism to overturn the policy. From a national speaking tour of conservative universities to protests at military recruitment offices, these public events question how the U.S. military can claim to represent democracy and freedom while denying one segment of the population the right to serve.
P R I N C I P A L C R E D I T S
Johnny Symons persistent-visions.com, Director/Producer, is an award-winning Bay Area-based documentary film and videomaker. 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. BEYOND CONCEPTION (2006), his 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. Symons is the co-producer of the Academy Award-nominated LONG NIGHT’S JOURNEY INTO DAY (2000), which won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival. A documentary filmmaker since 1991, Symons graduated with honors from Brown University and has a Master’s degree in documentary production from Stanford University. He currently teaches documentary film at both Stanford and the Art Institute of California-San Francisco. FULL BIO
Andrew Gersh gershpost.com, Editor, is a documentary film and video editor based in Berkeley, California. His work has appeared on PBS (including NOVA and FRONTLINE), ABC, MSNBC, National Geographic, Discovery, Turner Broadcasting, the BBC in the United Kingdom and in movie theaters worldwide.
Leah Wolchok redorafilms.com, Co-Producer, is an award-winning filmmaker who got her start in the documentary world at the Oxygen network. Her short films have screened at festivals worldwide, including the HBO Frame-by-Frame Documentary Film Series and Silverdocs. She received a BA in English from Yale and an MA in documentary production from Stanford.
F E A T U R E D C O L L A B O R A T O R S
Call to Duty Tour calltodutytour.org
Palm Center palmcenter.org
Servicemembers United servicemembersunited.org
Soulforce soulforce.org
Full Production Credits