Before gay marriage was even dreamed of, portraitist Don Bachardy fell in love with author Christopher Isherwood. Their legendary relationship began on the beach at Malibu in 1956 and continued until Isherwood's death in 1986. Beautifully executed and movingly told, Chris & Don is one the greatest gay romances ever, and it's a documentary!

Writer Christopher Isherwood was born near Manchester, England in 1904. After college, he headed straight into a writing career. He moved to Berlin in 1929 to be with his friend W.H. Auden. Falling in love with the place and pretty boys he stayed there until the Nazis started to make things uncomfortable for gay men. His experiences in Berlin were later distilled into his "Berlin Stories" which was adapted for film as Cabaret. In 1939 Isherwood and Auden fled Germany and came to the U.S. They moved to California where they discovered Eastern religions and even more sexy boys. It was not until 1956 when this fabled gay love story begins. Brought to life by a multi-media treasure trove, the story of Chris & Don will grip you to the end. The film features lots of interview footage with Bachardy as well as archival footage, rare home movies (with glimpses of friends W.H. Auden, Igor Stravinsky and Tennessee Williams), reenactments, and, most sweetly, whimsical animations based on the cat-and-horse cartoons the pair used in their personal correspondence. Theirs is a love story that needs to be seen.

-- Scott Cranin

Christopher Isherwood was one of the pioneers of gay literature; this is his story.

Depicts the remarkable life of artist Don Bachardy and his relationship with the distinguished writer Christopher Isherwood. Includes footage shot by Chris and Don in the 1950s and interviews with Leslie Caron, John Boorman, Liza Minnelli, and others. Isherwood and Bachardy were open about their life together, regardless of the waves it caused. This was during a period when gay relationships were not acceptable. The age difference in their relationship brought obvious personal problems that had to be addressed. Don often felt disregarded by Chris's famous friends and frequently was. Nevertheless, Bachardy pursued his art career with great energy, painting and drawing every day. Finding a vocation gave Don a sense of fulfillment and independence. He began to realize that he could function independently, which made him question whether he wanted to stay with Isherwood. Don toyed with leaving the relationship and striking out on his own, however he decided not to as he realized his love for Chris was too important. During the 1970s, Chris and Don began to collaborate on various writing projects, such as "Frankenstein: The True Story", an unusual take on Mary Shelley's famous novel. In 1981, Isherwood was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Bachardy nursed him throughout the course of the disease and for the last six months of Chris' life, Don gave up painting any one else but him. What began as way to spend more time together, quickly became the project of a lifetime, a project Chris and Don did together until the very end. After Isherwood's death, Bachardy's career has continued to flourish. A number of books about Bachardy's art have been published, the latest, Stars in My Eyes. Bachardy's work resides in many permanent collections around the world, including the National Portrait Gallery in London, the Smithsonian Institute, and The Norton Simon Museum. Written by Asphalt Stars Productions. IMD.