20/10
In 2014, BuzzFeed journalist Matt Stoperaโs phone was stolen from a New York bar. A year later, photos of storefronts and a man standing next to an orange tree mysteriously appeared on her iPhoto stream. Matt wrote an article about it that went viral in China, where internet users identified the man as โBrother Orange.โ Invited to China, Matt became an instant celebrity. Although the media scrutinized their every move, he and Brother Orange formed a deep friendship that transcended cultural and language barriers. When Brother Orange visited Matt in the United States, Matt felt compelled to come out fully and tell his new friend the truth. Years later, while still alone in the midst of a pandemic, Brother Orange recorded a hopeful video message expressing his desire to see Matt again.