Political science professor John Sutherlin and film crew members created the movie “FREEMAN,” a biography about the life of Charles Freeman Stamper. Stamper, a Louisiana native, attended ULM and graduated with a degree in secretarial sciences. He discovered his love for drag performances during his army years, eventually taking on the persona of Stephannie.

Production of the documentary-style movie took several years of planning and hundreds of interviews. Within the film, Stamper talks about his trials and tribulations, from simple sibling arguments to LGBTQ+ hate crimes.

Sutherlin’s team worked closely with organizations such as the Trevor Project, a well-known LGBTQ+ group that focuses on bringing light to drowned-out stories.

The film rose to fame internationally, winning several awards. However, it struggled to gain the same traction in the United States, with some film critics dismissing “FREEMAN” without a second glance.

“There were typically two reasons we were not picked in American markets,” Sutherlin said.” “It was either the fact that it had any kind of LGBTQ theme, drag queen. The other one was that they [American audiences] didn’t want to hear about old-school drag queens. They wanted a modern RuPaul glitzy glamour. Well, that was not Stephannie.”

Stamper passed away in 2016 during the film’s recording. Sutherlin and his team decided to continue the film and turn it into a memorial.

Faced with anti-LGTBQ+ laws and discrimination, Sutherlin and his crew put together a film worthy of over 12 nationally recognized awards, including “Best LGBTQ+ Documentary” at the 2024 Power24 International Film Festival, “Official Selection” for the 2025 Portugal Indie Film Festival, and “Best Documentary” for the 2024 Touchstone Independent Film Festival. Stamper’s story extended across the globe, reaching millions of hearts.

In Stampe’s wise words, “a life worth living is a life worth finding.”