Lesbian doco ‘Ahead of the Curve’ opens in New York City

The award-winning documentary featuring Melissa Etheridge, Lea DeLaria, Jewelle Gomez and Curve magazine founder Franco Stevens will debut theatrically in New York City and digital platforms.

Wolfe Video has announced the documentary feature Ahead of the Curve, directed by Jen Rainin and Rivkah Beth Medow and executive produced by Lindsey Dryden. Featuring interviews with Melissa Etheridge (Academy Award Winner, Best Original Song An Inconvenient Truth), Lea DeLaria (Orange Is The New Black), Jewelle Gomez (The Gilda Stories) and Franco Stevens, is set for a theatrical release at IFC in New York on May 28, and Home Video release on digital platforms, DVD, and STARZ on June 1, 2021.

This essential LGBTQ+ documentary tells the story of Franco Stevens’ wild ride as she launched Curve magazine in 1990 with a handful of credit cards and a lucky run at the horse track. A visionary and unapologetic celebration of lesbian life from cover to cover, Curve quickly became the best-selling lesbian magazine in the world. Decades later, in the wake of a disabling injury, Stevens learns that Curve will fold within the year and questions the relevance of the magazine in the face of accelerating threats to the LGBTQ+ community. To forge a path forward, Stevens reaches out to leaders working in today’s queer spaces to understand how Curve can continue to serve the community. Franco explores questions of lesbian visibility, legacy, intersectionality and current day issues through interviews with contemporary LGBTQ+ tastemakers, activists and “celesbians,” along with deliciously rich archival footage recounting the formation of a true lesbian cultural institution.

“Much more than a groundbreaking publication, Curve became a lifeline for the lesbian community in the 1990s. The film draws a through line to the queer BIPOC leaders doing this work today. However, like many inspirational LGBTQ+ icons and pioneers, especially women, trans and non-binary people, Franco’s story remains largely unknown. Releasing in time for LGBTQ+ Pride month will bring her story to an international viewing audience, increasing awareness of Franco’s legacy and encouraging conversations about the value of preserving and uplifting LGBTQ+ stories today,” says Director Jen Rainin. 

“One of the reasons that Franco started the magazine was to say ‘our community is not a monolith, we are every color, every shape, every race, every size, every age, every ability – and we’re all strong and beautiful!’ With this release we’ll be able to reach a much wider audience and have those intergenerational conversations that are critical to creating a safer, more inclusive world,” says Co-Director Rivkah Beth Medow.

“Wolfe is honored to represent the innovation of Franco Stevens and her ‘glossy lesbian revolution,’” says Kathy Wolfe, Founder and C.E.O. of Wolfe Video.

Ahead of the Curve will be available to rent and purchase digitally on Apple TV, Google Play, FandangoNOW, VUDU and WolfeOnDemand.com.

STARZ will premiere the documentary on their channel June 7, 2021 at 9pm ET.

More info at curvemagmovie.com.