Filmmaker Ry Russo-Young turns to her own family for inspiration in HBO’s new documentary series “Nuclear Family.” The project is an in-depth exploration of what it meant to be lesbian parents during the ‘70s and ‘80s. For Russo-Young and her sister, their lives were just like any other American family. To an outside world still unfamiliar and unwelcoming to LGBTQ+ parents, their every move was met with added scrutiny. A surprising lawsuit became the catalyst for events not only changing Russo-Young’s life but the lives of others living in similar situations.
Everything about the docuseries challenges and explores the concepts of family. One angle looks at how favoring biology over true familial bonds too often leads to issues within the legal system. Another aspect explores what it means to be a part of a family deemed “untraditional” by disapproving strangers. Among it all are the global implications and perceptions that are still far-reaching.
This three-part series utilizes interviews with those involved, but its most intriguing elements come from employing press materials as well as videos. The filmmaker also includes excerpts from the film “Our House.” Meema Spadola’s documentary about the landmark lawsuit includes footage of a teenage Russo-Young. Making use of those storytelling devices harkens back to the director’s experience with various films and series. Most recently, she worked on episodes of “Panic” and “Sorry for Your Loss.”
Here’s the series’ official synopsis:
HBO’s NUCLEAR FAMILY…follows filmmaker Ry Russo-Young as she turns the camera on her own past to explore the meaning of family. In the late 70s/early 80s, when the concept of a gay family was inconceivable to most, Ry and her sister Cade were born to two lesbian mothers through sperm donors. Ry’s idyllic childhood was threatened by an unexpected lawsuit which sent shockwaves through her family’s lives and continues to reverberate today. An exploration of love, loyalty, loss and the immutable power of family in all its configurations, NUCLEAR FAMILY eloquently examines the dynamics that enrich and complicate the bonds of love.
Nuclear Family premieres on September 26 at 10:00 pm EST/PST. Watch the series’ first trailer below:
