Kieran Turner, the acclaimed documentary filmmaker known for Jobriath A.D. (2012), has passed away at the age of 56.

As reported by his representative, the founder of Eight Track Tape Productions and a 2021 CNN Docuseries Fellow succumbed to cancer on Monday, December 23, in West Hollywood. A memorial celebration is scheduled for January.

Turner’s 2012 documentary Jobriath A.D. chronicled the rise and decline of the groundbreaking 1970s glam-rock artist, who was the first openly gay rock star. The film led to a re-release of Jobriath’s music catalog.

His last documentary, Ghost Lights: Reclaiming Theater in the Age of AIDS, explores the effects of the AIDS epidemic on the theater industry, featuring over 150 interviews with influential figures and theater icons. Although Turner passed away during production, Wise Child Studios and producer Christianne Tisdale, along with executive producers Brett Morgan and Jonathan Groff, will complete the project in his memory.

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The filmmaker’s work “focused on shining a light on gay artists who, like himself, passed before their time.”

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His screenplay Black Dogs was included in the 2022 Black List and is currently in development with Star Thrower Entertainment.

After earning his BFA and MFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, his graduate thesis 24 Nights was showcased at festivals globally before TLA Releasing acquired it for distribution, making it one of the first Christmas films to feature a gay love story.

Turner also created the web series Wallflowers, which aired for two seasons on Stage17 and is now available for streaming on Dekkoo.

He is survived by his cousins on the East Coast and his chosen family.

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Person

Kieran Turner, Jobriath, Christianne Tisdale, Brett Morgan, Jonathan Groff, Joe Biden, Jimmy Carter

Company Names

Eight Track Tape Productions, CNN, Wise Child Studios, Star Thrower Entertainment, TLA Releasing, Stage17, Dekkoo

Titles

Jobriath A.D., Ghost Lights: Reclaiming Theater in the Age of AIDS, Black Dogs, 24 Nights, Wallflowers

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