MSNBC FILMS PARTNERS WITH THE NEW YORKER DOCUMENTARY
ON IT’S OKAY, A SHORT FILM ABOUT QUEER ROLE MODELS IN SMALL TOWN AMERICA
Directed by Oscar-Nominated David France and Produced by Emmy-Nominated
Actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson
Premieres on MSNBC and newyorker.com August 11
(NEW YORK – July 25, 2024) – MSNBC Films today announced it has partnered with The New Yorker Documentary on the short film IT’S OKAY, directed by Oscar nominated and Emmy winning filmmaker David France (How to Survive a Plague, Welcome to Chechnya) and produced by Emmy nominated and Tony winning actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family, Take Me Out), premiering on MSNBC and streaming on The New Yorker’s digital platforms on Sunday, August 11.
IT’S OKAY presents a quiet take on a very noisy subject: the sudden rise in hate and intolerance, particularly against LGBTQI+ people and specifically against drag artists, who have been the target of extreme violence and scores of bills across the country criminalizing drag performances.
The film captures the emotions and reactions of two young brothers and their mother in North Carolina as they get ready to attend and observe their first Drag Story Hour, a national literary program for kids to learn about diversity in their communities.
IT’S OKAY will premiere in a programming block on MSNBC with TO BE DESTROYED, a short documentary that follows author Dave Eggers as he meets with students and teachers in the Rapid City, South Dakota school district where his novel The Circle was pulled from shelves along with works by Alison Bechdel (Fun Home), Stephen Chbosky (Perks of Being a Wallflower), Bernardine Evaristo (Girl, Woman, Other) and Imbolo Mbue (How Beautiful We Were).
“I’m delighted that MSNBC and The New Yorker are bringing this simple but profound story to audiences,” France said. “There are so many lessons to learn from the family featured in our film, but none is more fundamental than the importance of keeping an open mind.”
“What a dream it has been to reunite with David France on this beautiful short film. I am thrilled for it to finally be out in the world,” said Ferguson. “For me, IT’S OKAY is the perfect embodiment of the purity of storytelling and freedom of self-expression.”
IT’S OKAY is produced by Alice Henty, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Justin Mikita and executive produced by Shane McAnally, Robbie Rogers, James Costa, and Joy Tomchin; Brad Blume and Dan Silver are Co-Executive Producers; Paul Moakley is Executive Producer for The New Yorker and Rashida Jones, Rebecca Kutler, and Amanda Spain are Executive Producers for MSNBC.
MSNBC Films:
MSNBC Films, a division of MSNBC, produces and acquires documentary features and short films for distribution across the NBCUniversal News Group platforms. MSNBC Films collaborates with top filmmakers to deliver a variety of thought-provoking films that reveal the humanity beyond the headlines, combining the extraordinary journalism of NBCUniversal News Group. For more information, please visit https://www.msnbc.com/films.
The New Yorker Documentary:
IT’S OKAY is part of the award-winning New Yorker Documentary series. Produced by emerging and renowned filmmakers from around the world, the films in this series offer uncommon perspectives on issues that matter. New Yorker films have garnered numerous honors, including seventeen Oscar nominations, an Emmy Award, and multiple Edward R. Murrow Awards. All the films in The New Yorker Documentary series can be viewed at newyorker.com/video.
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