Ask Not

(Documentary)

A Persistent Visions production in association with ITVS. Produced by Johnny Symons. Co-producer, Leah Wolchok. Directed by Johnny Symons.

With: Aaron Belkin, Haven Herrin, Robert Maginnis, David Mixner, Charles Moskus, Alex Nicholson, Perry, Jacob Reitan, Alan Steinman.

Potent, evenhanded "Ask Not" argues that the "don't ask, don't tell" policy has only harmed U.S. military strength since President Clinton signed the ersatz "honorable compromise" in 1993. Gay ex-servicemen, still-closeted acting ones and civilians challenging the ban highlight the absurdity of excluding homosexuals in wartime when personnel are badly overstretched. (To compensate, recruitment standards have been lowered to accept marginal IQs and certain convicted felons.) Engrossing docu should see much fest travel before educational/broadcast shelf life, with modest home-turf theatrical exposure possible despite the pubcast-style presentation.

Helmer Johnny Symonds ("Daddy & Papa") and editor Andrew Gersh weave together a complex story. When newly elected Clinton sought to end anti-gay armed-services discrimination, he encountered panic and propaganda from military brass, Congress and the Christian right. Buckling under pressure, Clinton's compromise was intended to protect gay and lesbian enlistees. Instead, more than 12,000 have since been discharged (often without benefits), thousands more declining to re-enlist each year because they fear suffering the same fate.

These include gung-ho types like Army private Alex Nicholson, who speaks five languages, including Arabic (lack of skilled translators was acknowledged as a grave military-intelligence weak point even before 9/11). He and others are seen on a university lecture tour, where they argue that the military citing reasons of cultural relevance for such discrimination has become bogus. Indeed, one poll cited described very few 1993 soldiers as "comfortable" around gay people; now, 70% say they are.

Other notable presences include youthful leaders of Right to Serve, who storm recruitment centers offering to join the military -- then get arrested when they refuse to leave after being turned down for being openly gay.

Then there's Perry, a pseudononymous black soldier who's stayed closeted to do what he believes is important work in Iraq. As we view his homemovies from the front (his face electronically blurred for the docu), he grows disillusioned about the mission, and friends back home wonder why he's fighting for democracy abroad when the government only accepts his patriotic service if he keeps his identity hidden.

The official argument that known gays "undermine unit cohesion" is painted as the latest in a series of scare tactics that at one time included claims that homosexuals were less trustworthy or more prone to alcoholism.

"Ask Not" disproves the notion that the gay community consists wholly of liberal peaceniks; many here seem born soldiers as tough as any other grunt. One vet opines that sexuality is the last thing on the mind of anyone under combat conditions, anyway.

Moreover, even though race, religion and gender differences create conflict in U.S. military ranks, homosexuality remains the one area where a federal employer can openly discriminate.The docu lists many countries that have struck down their military's no-gay policies with zero consequence (indeed, Britain is seen actively recruiting at Gay Pride events). Package is televisual but brisk and smart, packing much into its short runtime.

Camera (color, DV-to-DigiBeta), S. Leo Chiang, Peter LoGreco, Andy Schocken; editor, Andrew Gersh; music, Norman Arnold; sound, Philip Perkins. Reviewed at San Francisco Film Festival (Documentaries), May 5, 2008. Running time: 73 MIN.

Variety is striving to present the most thorough review database. To report inaccuracies in review credits, please click here. We do not currently list below-the-line credits, although we hope to include them in the future. Please note we may not respond to every suggestion. Your assistance is appreciated.