Under the Southern Cross: The Art and Legacy of Henry L. Faulkner

An unflinching portrayal of Appalachian queer painter and poet Henry L. Faulkner from Egypt, Kentucky (1924–1981). The most documented queer man in the history of Kentucky and possibly the country, Faulkner documented his life and lovers as an adolescent in the 1930s til the day he died. This film tells a raucous, unapologetic, and unfiltered story told with Faulkner’s photographs, paintings, poetry, rare film and audio recordings, and interviews with people who knew him. This film describes a boy and a man unwilling to hide who he is and willing to face the consequences for his authenticity. Faulkner was unashamedly gay at a time when many LGBTQ people lived closeted lives. Self-proclaimed a ‘radical homosexual,’ Henry’s art was a fusion of life experience, an acute sense of color, and his sexuality. His homes became refuges for many young people in Lexington, Kentucky, and Key West Florida, both gay and straight, in search of a freer way of life.

Directed by Jean Donohue, Under the Southern Cross: The Art and Legacy of Henry L. Faulkner leans on a strong ensemble — Henry Faulkner, Silas House, Robert Morgan — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about documentary titles of 2024.