This docuseries is a lively and personal look at what it’s like to be queer in New Zealand today. Hosted by the really charming Aniwa Whaiapu Koloamatangi, it feels like you're being invited into all these different parts of the rainbow community that usually don't get much time on TV. The first season is made up of six episodes, each about 30 minutes long, and they all dive into different topics like family, faith, and the specific experience of being Takatāpui, which is the Māori queer identity. It does a really nice job of balancing the tough history of the LGBTQ+ community with a lot of modern-day happiness and pride. The show starts with Aniwa traveling all over the place to meet folks from every walk of life to see how their background and identity mix together. In the first episode, Aniwa actually takes his first HIV test, works through some stuff from his childhood by playing rugby with the NZ Falcons—one of the country’s gay teams—and checks out what Rainbow Youth is d...
Louganis is introduced auctioning off memorabilia, hoping to save the Malibu home he’s owned for 27 years and to what he hasn't paid his mortgage for a few months now. He later finds out he is victim of being fleeced by his former boyfriend/manager who robbed him off a lot of his finances and someone who was also responsible probably for Greg's HIV status. Although. This can never be confirmed. We see his past of winning olympic medals and other important events, especially the now famous incident when Louganis hit his head on the board. The documentary's central focus is Greg and his coach. It was heartwarming to hear the incident when they couldn’t divulge his HIV status at the time if he wanted to compete, and discussing the mix of emotions and concerns that raced through Louganis’ mind when the injury opened a gash in his scalp. We see few such incidents, where we finally also see how he finds new love in life and is now happily married. It is sad to see how once world famous olympic gold medal winner is struggling to make ends meet just because of his sexuality. He is trying to re-emerges on the world stage to combat prejudice, promote tolerance, and return to the diving world after a long period of absence to act as a mentor to the next generation.
This documentary reminds us that everyone has challenges in life. The fact that he was rumored to be gay also led to millions of dollars in lost corporate endorsements , despite the fact that he was an Olympic superstar. The documentary very well shows us Greg's amazing accomplishments as an outstanding platform diver and his life now. His struggles )personal and professional) because of his sexuality is something that cannot be ignored at all. Louganis' honesty and courage was fully on display here, as well as his incredible diving talent, all detailed in concise interviews and historical footage. And my god! Even at this age, he is so sexy and that smile is still a killer.
I would recommend both the film on his life and the documentary to really appreciate the life and person that Greg Louganis is. (5.5/10)
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