The Long Island native made Strong Island after his brother’s tragic murder by a white mechanic in 1992…
Yance Ford has become the first transgender director to earn an Academy Award nomination. Ford is nominated in the Best Documentary category for his feature film Strong Island.
Strong Island tells the story of Ford’s brother Willam, who was murdered in 1992. Willam Ford Jr, a 24-year-old black man, was allegedly shot dead by white mechanic Mark Reilly. William was reportedly unarmed – but the case never went to trial.
Ford’s highly emotional debut film, which was produced by Netflix, investigates his brothers death by featuring interviews with his family showing the impact of the death of William. It also explores how his family’s lives are shaped by America’s long struggle with race. “My brother’s death picked up my life and put it down somewhere else,” Ford told Filmmaker Magazine in 2011. “I had an image of myself in my mind as a working artist, and when he died, all of that changed.”
Ford also won Best Documentary this award season at the IFP Gotham Awards.
Yance Ford Becomes The First Transgender Director To Be Nominated For An Oscar
Related Articles
FLASHBACK: Beverly LaSalle Is Murdered On All In The Family (December 25, 1977)
Today in 2SLGBTQI+ history
3 LGBTQ+ Game Changers Of 2025 In Entertainment
Why Andy Cohen, Jesse Tannenbaum, and Mae Martin are the most important voices in entertainment right now. Securing the future of queer representation
Revry’s Co-Founders Reflect On A Decade Of Bringing Queer Joy To The World
Co-founders Damian Pelliccione and Christopher J. Rodriguez chat about the streaming network’s early days, the success of King of Drag and what viewers can expect in the future
Latest Issue
December 2025
The final digital issue of IN Magazine includes: A look at the decline of AIDS organizations; The true story of Brandon Teena; How Winnipeg’s CIN and Nine Circles Community Health Centre are reimagining care; Sasha Leigh Henry’s feature film debut sheds light on a Black queer narrative rarely seen in Canada; 20 years later and Brokeback Mountain is still impactful; Interviews with Russell Tovey, Kawika Guillermo, Drew Droege, Marc Bendavid, Eric McCormack, and Revry’s co-founders; Queer love heats up in an intimate reimagining of Romeo and Juliet; and much more.
Download this issue for free
Comments
1 Comment