The Fandom

The Fandom takes us on a journey into the imaginative world of Furries, an often misunderstood subculture that finds expression, joy and authenticity through the anthropormorphic arts. Join a cast of unique characters in this illuminating and heartwarming documentary that is sure to surprise and delight.

Directed by Ash Kreis, this film provides intimate access to a history and a community, with historical footage and present day interviews. From the first gatherings in the last 1970’s to the practically mainstream conventions like Anthrocon, we learn more about the subculture’s foundational connections to animation and comics. And of course, we meet the incredible designers of some truly magnificent fursuits. For many of these artists the expression they create is not just a form of creativity, but also a way to connect to community and kinship in a world where they feel lonely and marginalized.

The Fandom is a very queer space, with an estimate of 80% of furries identifying on the queer spectrum. “Of course furry is full of sexuality,” says veteran furry Rod O’Riley, “because furry is full of human beings, who are alive and thinking and feeling.” The rise of furry culture coincided with the AIDS crisis, when stigma against anyone considered on the sexual fringe was rampant. However, moral judgement is still cast upon this subculture by broader society today, with many misconceptions and homophobic ideas about kink and queerness still circulating in mainstream culture. In a time when our gatherings have been impossible, and when homonormativity dares to decry kink’s place in pride, The Fandom is a loving and important tribute to weirdness, ingenuity, playfulness and daring—all things that really do put the queer in pride, which is something we cannot lose.