Trailer: Doc-Film ‘I Was Born This Way’ Tells Story Of 1st Gay Anthem

The feature film documentary I WAS BORN THIS WAY tells the untold story of Archbishop Carl Bean, who sang the world’s first gay anthem – the Motown disco club hit “I Was Born This Way.” Six years in the making, the film follows the little known story of Bean’s life from his turbulent childhood growing up Black and queer, through his surprising music career, including the 1977 Billboard top 10 Disco hit and gay anthem “I Was Born This Way.” The film goes on to chronicle Bean’s departure from the music industry to launch the Minority AIDS Project and the world’s first LGBTQ+ church for people of color, Unity Fellowship. I WAS BORN THIS WAY also tracks the surprising back-story of the song and the legacy of Bean’s version, which inspired Lady Gaga’s new modern LGBTQ+ anthem, “Born This Way.” I WAS BORN THIS WAY (directed by Emmy winners Daniel Junge and Sam Pollard) features intimate interviews with Lady Gaga, Questlove, Billy Porter, Dionne Warwick, and Rep. Maxine Waters. “Carl’s story is such a treasure for documentary storytellers like Sam and me,” says Junge, “so we took great effort to tell it in the most impactful way possible.” I WAS BORN THIS WAY premieres in the Documentary Spotlight Section of the Tribeca Film Festival on June 5th to be followed by a series of film festival showings throughout the year.