‘National Anthem’ Director Luke Gilford Calls Mainstream Rodeo Shows a ‘Drag Performance’: ‘There’s Rhinestones and Hairspray and Nail Polish and Tight Denim’

Luke Gilford knows about rodeos — his father was a rider in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. So it’s no surprise that the gay celebrity and fashion photographer turned his camera on the queer rodeo circuit for his 2020 debut photography book, “ National Anthem : America’s Queer Rodeo.” It’s that work that inspired the Colorado native’s feature directorial debut, also called “National Anthem.

” The movie, which Gilford co-wrote with Kevin Best and David Largman Murray, stars Charlie Plummer (“Wildflower,” TV’s “The First Lady”) as Dylan, a young man who goes to work on a ranch that is home to a group of queer rodeo performers. An unexpected romance blooms between him and a trans woman, played by Eve Lindley (“Bros,” “After Yang”), as Dylan becomes more attached his new chosen family. “’Brokeback Mountain’ was almost 20 years ago,” says Gilford, who splits his time between New York and Los Angeles and has had his work published in Vogue, Vanity Fair and the New York Times, tells me during a Zoom interview.

He is wearing his signature cowboy hat and denim shirt for our conversation. “Those were straight actors, and it was a tragedy,” he says. “’National Anthem’ has the real people.

Many of the real people in the [rodeo] community are in the film. It’s about tenderness and love and celebration and queer joy instead of tragedy. I’m excited for this moment.

Audiences are really responding. People are so warm and ex.