Gay and in Love at an Evangelical College

The protagonist of our film, Santiago Gonzalez IV, is a first-generation college student, son of Mexican immigrants, surfer, flamenco dancer, bullfighter, dedicated Christian and a young gay man navigating his first same-sex relationship, with his classmate Austin McKinley. As he graduates from his conservative Christian college in San Diego, Mr. Gonzalez manages to beautifully balance these identity categories, which can often divide communities, families, and individuals.

Mr. Gonzalez’s story spoke strongly to both of us, even though we come from strikingly different religious perspectives. Mr. Callahan is a filmmaker focused on cultivating empathy for complex people, as well as being ordained in the church that Santi began attending in middle school. Mr. Sheaffer is an experimental filmmaker whose work often grapples with sexuality, and he is also a committed atheist. We met in 2016 at the Atlanta Film Festival and quickly began discussing the intersections of our respective communities.

Mr. Gonzalez’s story spoke strongly to both of us, even though we come from strikingly different religious perspectives. Mr. Callahan is a filmmaker focused on cultivating empathy for complex people, as well as being ordained in the church that Santi began attending in middle school. Mr. Sheaffer is an experimental filmmaker whose work often grapples with sexuality, and he is also a committed atheist. We met in 2016 at the Atlanta Film Festival and quickly began discussing the intersections of our respective communities.

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