Second Look / USA / 2024 / English / 47 min / Documentary, LGBT
Director, Writer, Producer: Andy Perrott; Writer, Leslie Anne Frye-Thomas: Prodcuer, Louis Pedraza.
Contact: andy@lightshipstudios.com
Key Cast: Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Dean Trantalis, Shevrin Jones, Fred Fejes
Narrated by Emmy-winning actor Sharon Gless, INSIDE THE OASIS: The Story of South Florida’s Gay Mecca explores the LGBTQ+ community’s evolution in Broward County from the 1950s to the present. Through archival footage and firsthand accounts, the film charts the fight against discrimination, the triumph of visibility, and the fragile nature of progress as newly emboldened political forces once again challenge the community’s hard-won rights.
SPECIAL GUESTS: Andy Perrott and other local participance of the film
Director Biography – Andy Perrott is an award-winning film, television, and commercial director and producer with more than 25 years of experience. He founded his production company, Lightship Entertainment, in 1999 after serving as an Executive Producer at both Lifetime Television and The Walt Disney Company. Based in Orlando, he produced the Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade for a decade, earning the show’s only national Emmy Award.
Throughout his career, Perrott has created hundreds of hours of programming for major networks including Animal Planet, Travel Channel, Discovery Channel, HSN, and Destination America. In 2013, he relocated Lightship to Fort Lauderdale, inspired by the region’s vibrant water-centric lifestyle and diverse creative community.
Since moving to South Florida, Perrott has forged strong partnerships with corporate and LGBTQ+ nonprofit organizations, directing and producing hundreds of commercials, branded campaigns, and ten short films. His recent work centers on elevating queer history, voices, and visibility through narrative and documentary storytelling. Lightship is a proud LGBTE-certified enterprise.
Director Statement
As both a history major and a member of the LGBTQ+ community, Inside the Oasis has been a deeply personal and profoundly meaningful project—one I’ve dedicated nearly nine years to creating. I felt it was essential to examine not only the local stories of Wilton Manors and Broward County, but also the state and national forces that shaped the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ people across generations.
Wilton Manors’ transformation into the second “gayest city” in the country did not happen by accident; it emerged from decades of resilience, activism, and community-building. This film honors that journey while acknowledging that the story is far from over.
My hope is that future filmmakers, historians, and community members will continue to carry this torch—documenting, celebrating, and protecting the evolving narrative of a community that has fought hard for visibility, dignity, and the right to exist without fear.