‘Glitter and Doom’ Teaser: Indigo Girls’ Ballads Capture Queer Circus Love Story

Samantha Bergeson
·2 min read
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The Indigo Girls are getting their own “Mamma Mia”-esque music-based film.

The iconic duo, who recently led 2023 documentary “It’s Only Life After All,” provide the soundtrack for fantastical queer romance film “Glitter and Doom.” Billed as a jukebox musical, the film features 25 reimagined Indigo Girls songs, produced and arranged by “The Voice” runner-up contestant Michelle Chamuel. Classics like “Galileo,” “Get Out the Map,” “World Falls,” and “Power of Two” are featured, as well as a new Indigo Girls track “What We Wanna Be.”

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The official synopsis for the film reads: “‘Glitter and Doom’ follows the love at first sight journey of a circus dreamer (Alex Diaz) and struggling musician (Alan Cammish). An undeniable spark sets an epic summer romance on its course until the realities of pursuing their dreams threaten to tear them apart.”

Ming Na-Wen, Missi Pyle, Lea DeLaria, Tig Notaro, Kate Pierson, Peppermint, Beth Malone, and the Indigo Girls themselves, Amy Ray and Emily Saliers, co-star.

“Glitter and Doom” is directed by Tom Gustafson from a script penned by Cory Krueckeberg; the duo also produce alongside Hunter Arnold, Ale García, Alejandra Cárdenas, Felicitas Arce, and Antonio Urdapilleta. Sig De Miguel, Stephen Vincent, Curt Cronin, Gary Nelson, and Marcia Nelson serve as executive producers. “Glitter and Doom” has already screened at gala slots at over 50 LGBTQ+ festivals around the world in 2023.

The Indigo Girls have had a career resurgence as of late, with song “Closer to Fine” featured in Oscar-nominated film “Barbie,” as well as their Sundance 2023 documentary being released.

The Indigo Girls member Ray said during the IndieWire Studio at Sundance presented by Dropbox that there was initially some resistance to be branded as a queer band. “We talk about that. In the past, it was just a fear, you know, internalized homophobia, misogyny, white privilege, all that,” Ray said. “I think now we can be more comfortable with labels. I think that was more of a growing that we needed to do. And I also think we hope for a time where the music is forward and the artist is forward and the literature is forward, and it’s not all having to be separated into the sections.”

Ray, who is lesbian, added, “Although that is important in and of itself, because when you are looking to read or listen to something that’s centered around a certain identity, it’s nice to know who is that and who is writing about that. So to have the markers is also nice. I guess we don’t want them to be derogatory as markers but more like celebratory markers.”

“Glitter and Doom” premieres March 8 in theaters from Music Box Films. Check out the trailer, an IndieWire exclusive, below.

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