“Gio: A Man Wonderfully Created” is a 2015 American 7.5-minute short film.
Gio Carneal, the son of a southern Baptist minister experienced a hostile and bully ridden 1970’s childhood. Self medication with alcohol and drugs leads to his turning to a gay bar in Los Angeles where his newfound sense of community and his desire for full acceptance graduated to sex addiction and prostitution in a community that accepted him. A sense of belonging but even that did not stem his depression and contemplating suicide he discovered God eventually being accepted into a Californian evangelical church.
Carneal says why would he choose a life of misery and alienation. His view is that his sexuality is predetermined and in fact genetics gave him no choice. He chose to live his true self and not to masquerade as a heterosexual. In the book of Psalms, David writes in chapter 139 verses 13 and 14: “for it was You who created my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I will praise You because I have been fearfully and wonderfully made”.
Directed by Michi Tanioka. It is available free of charge now courtesy of Visual Communications. Go to https://watch.eventive.org/vcarchives then click on Voices of Pride and scroll to the short to watch for free or for a contribution if you wish.
RKS 2024 Film Rating; 83/100.
Set the Bar 