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Toward the end of National Anthem, D’Angelo Lacy in splendiferous drag sings a powerful a cappella rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” while an assembled group of Queer Rodeo competitors and spectators stand in reverent silence through that hymn of patriotism, hands on hearts. Given that the recently passed Tennessee bill banning drag performances is looking to spread through red states and legitimize transphobic discrimination, the scene takes on added poignancy. That helps bolster the emotional heft of first-time writer-director Luke Gilford’s gentle New Mexico-set story of self-discovery in a chosen family.

Gilford knows the setting well. He grew up in the Southwest, with fond memories of attending rodeos with his father as a kid, only later becoming aware of how homophobic and narrow — white, Christian conservative, macho — mainstream rodeos could be. Returning after years of studying art and working in New York, Gilford discovered the International Gay Rodeo Association,...

Exclusive: Vertical Entertainment has acquired North American and UK/Ire rights to the political comedy The Hater, from writer-director Joey Ally, in which she stars alongside Bruce Dern, Meredith Hagner, D’Angelo Lacy (aka musical artist Black Gatsby), Ian Harding, Ali Larter, and Nora Dunn. The independent distributor has slated it for a day-and-date release on March 18.

In the film, Ally plays Dorothy, a liberal speechwriter on a U.S. Senate campaign, who finds herself unemployed and living back in her conservative Texas hometown with her estranged grandfather (Dern), after a political protest goes wrong. Dorothy soon learns that her childhood nemesis, Brent (Harding), is running for office as the sole Republican candidate. Determined to thwart him at any cost,...