Winter is always a unique season for gay independent filmmaker Davien Harlis, who is currently basking in the success of his second feature film, “Some Kind Of Christmas,” which is considered by many to be the first-ever holiday-themed film centering Black gay characters. Harlis debuted the film to Atlanta audiences over a three-day period in November at Cinevision to enthusiastic and sold-out audiences, and is gearing up to share the film during the increasingly popular online “Black, Gay, stuck at home” (BGSAH) series on December 18. 

“Some Kind of Christmas” revolves around lead character Gary, who for the first time in 5 years decides to break his tradition and go home to Atlanta to spend Christmas with his family. After confirming his presence with his mother who constantly speaks about the importance of family, Gary hints that he won’t be coming home alone. After an unexpected breakup, he takes the advice of a friend and creates the perfect “Ken” (played by Harlis) via a dating app to take home for Christmas. What happens next is a series of unexpected moments and unresolved issues that the entire family must confront. 

Harlis, a Ft. Lauderdale, FL native who has called Atlanta home since 2003, wrote, directed, and shot the film over six days with an $18,000 budget taken from his personal bank account. It was his second time betting on himself after leaving a successful career in corporate America to pursue his dream as an actor and filmmaker full-time. 

“I locked myself in my office for 2 1/2 weeks and came up with that story,” said Harlis. “I called some people that normally help me out with production, and I said, I’ve got this idea to shoot a Christmas movie, and they said, ‘but it’s September, how are we gonna do a Christmas movie?.’ I was like, we’re gonna do it. I wrote it in September, did casting in September, at the beginning of October we shot it in 6 days and were able to edit and show it in November. I’ll never do that again [laughter].” 

For Harlis, being able to provide Black gay men with representation onscreen is a responsibility that is always at the forefront of his mind as a filmmaker. 

“I appreciate being able to display a gay male that looks and acts like me because I didn’t always see that,” said Harlis. “One of my goals is to show the everyday gay male. But people always say that telling gay stories isn’t gonna make you money. I feel like this is my assignment to tell the everyday gay male story.” 

It’s an assignment that has come with its fair share of setbacks and hurdles that Harlis has had to overcome without major donors or studio executives funding and distributing his films. 

“I did a fundraiser [for his debut film “Red Carpet Hashtags & Heartbreak”]. I went outside on the corner with a sign that said help me make a film. People donated and we were able to get the film done,” he said.

For a period of time, Harlis’s decision to leave his high-powered corporate job landed him on the outside looking in—literally. 

“I lost everything because I quit my job to pursue my dream. That was a huge sacrifice. I was homeless,” he said as he fought back tears. 

“I didn’t have a car so I rented a car through Uber so that I could make money. I slept in my car. I’d gotten evicted from my apartment. So what I would do, I’d leave the door unlocked so at night I would have somewhere to lay down, and when they locked the door is when I knew that I couldn’t go there anymore,” said Harlis who has now given himself permission to let his tears flow freely. 

“It happened during the wintertime. I woke up one day and the lights was off, the gas was off. It was a homeless thrift store down the street, and I would go there and charge my phone just to have access to people. I would have to run down the street or act like I’m exercising and doing push-ups to stay warm, and at the same time try not to look like a creep walking back and forth outside of this building. So yeah, the homelessness did happen.” 

Wiping away his tears, Harlis apologizes for getting emotional, which is unnecessary. The tears are healing and peel back an extra layer of an introverted artist that is resilient and brave in a business that requires artists to be vulnerable and authentic, yet constantly changes the rules of the game if said artists are Black, effeminate, and gay. 

Which is one of the reasons why Harlis praises “Noah’s Arc” creator Patrik Ian-Polk. Harlis tells The Reckoning that Polk was an early supporter of his work, even taking the time to read his script and provide feedback. Harlis views Polk as a groundbreaking independent filmmaker who took the initiative to fill the void of Black gay characters on TV and in film.  

“All praise to Patrik Ian-Polk. He was the first Black man to show me characters like me. He showed me gay characters and I’ll always appreciate that,” he said.

Black, gay representation matters 

Ironically, it was Polk’s first feature film “PUNKS,” that inspired the creation of the virtual film series, “Black, Gay, stuck at home,” which will be screening Harlis’s film. 

“We wanted to screen movies that center Black queer folks, and lift up our ancestors and also bring in new filmmakers, new web series, and new TV creators, and kind of give them a place and an opportunity to get their work displayed for free,” said Michael Ward, co-creator of “Black, Gay, stuck at home” and host of CNPs “Revolutionary Health.”

Speaking further on Harlis’s film with The Reckoning, Ward says the selection of “Some Kind of Christmas” as the last film of 2020 before he and co-creator Joshua Jenkins goes on holiday break, simply aligns with the mission of “BGSAH.”

“Some Kind of Christmas is funny, it puts us in the holiday spirit and it fits perfectly with what we want to do with “BGSAH”—expose these films to a wider audience and give these filmmakers a little bit of love. He [Harlis] employs Black LGBTQ actors in the community here in Atlanta and so it just fits. We’re so excited that he’ll be joining us with some of the cast for the Q&A.”

One of the local actors that Harlis cast for the film is Tre’Varis, who is so fierce he only goes by a single name. Tre’Varis makes his feature film debut in “Christmas” and is one source of laughter with several scene-stealing moments throughout the film. While Tre’Varis, who Harlis says was grateful to be given an opportunity to flex his acting chops on screen after dealing with his fair share of rejection, he also shares that one actor he’d initially hired to play the leading character Gary had second thoughts. 

“The day before the table read his agent sent a message and said, ‘he’s decided not to do the project. I know this is short notice, but he said it’s too early in his career to do such a role.” And that sentence pissed me off,” said Harlis. “I hate when people say that because it’s almost saying that something is wrong with the person that you’re portraying or the lifestyle that you’re showing. What is it going to do to your career if you do a good job?” 

“You get one life to live and you have to do everything it is you want to do in that one life,” says Harlis onscreen as Ken. But it’s also a personal mantra that Harlis applies to his life as he navigates the ways in which homophobia, financial insecurity, and access appear as roadblocks towards his success. But if the long lines, sold-out crowds, and laughter from those fortunate enough to grab tickets during the November screening of “Some Kind of Christmas” is any indication of Harlis’s future, there will be more success to come. 

You can check out the trailer for “Some Kind of Christmas” below.  

Register to watch the film during “BGSAH” on Dec. 18 here.