The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) announced last week it will kick off Pride Month by premiering Ajahnis Charley’s six-part documentary series In the Closet on the NFB’s YouTube channel May 25.
Two 12-minute episodes will be released exclusively on YouTube every Monday at 8 p.m. ET, from May 25 to June 8.
The online premiere will follow a screening of the docuseries and a variety show on May 24 at the 36th annual Inside Out Toronto 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival.
In the Closet is written, directed and hosted by Ajahnis Charley, a Black, non-binary writer, filmmaker and comedian based in Toronto.
“Figuring out who you are is messy — especially when the world is telling you you’re ‘not non-binary enough,’” reads a description in an NFB press release. In the series, Charley “raids their enby besties’ closets looking to affirm both their identity and their hotness.”
Charley is joined by iconic comedian Bren D’Souza, actor Amanda Cordner, improviser to the stars D.J. Mausner, creator Meg MacKay and drag queen extraordinaire Chelazon Leroux.
“Yes, they’re in a literal closet, but these non-binary artists are anything but closeted, in a docu-series that isn’t afraid to wear its heart on its drop sleeves,” the NFB’s press release says.
In the Closet is Charley’s second film project with the NFB. Their first was I am Gay, a short film for the NFB’s pandemic series The Curve. Their other previous credits include starring in the HBO miniseries Station Eleven and Bell Media sitcom Shelved, as well as story editing and writing for Bria Mack Gets a Life, This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Stay Tooned, The Beaverton and Because News.
Charley has also written and directed for the web series The Bloom Room and worked with Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, Soulpepper Theatre’s Queer Youth Cabaret and Just for Laughs.
Photo of Ajahnis Charley courtesy of the NFB
