WATCH: Alfredo's Fire Sheds Light on Sexuality, Scandal, and Suppression in the Vatican

A new documentary about an Italian gay man who set himself on fire in 1998 to protest the Vatican's ban on gay sex is turning to crowdsourcing site Kickstarter to complete its production. The fact that today marks the inauguration of Pope Francis, who has said same-sex parents are "discrimination against children," is just icing on the homophobic cake.

Filmmaker Andy Abrahams Wilson (Under Our Skin, The Grove) has been following the story of Alfredo Ormando for nearly two decades, captivated ever since he learned about the out gay Italian who burned himself alive in front of the Vatican to protest the Catholic Church's stance on homosexuality. And hence Alfredo's Fire was born. 

Italian activists recognize Ormando's suicidal protest as "the Italian Stonewall," but the story is virtually unknown in the United States. Wilson wants to change that. So he's asking supporters around the world to donate to his Kickstarter campaign to fund the final production elements of the film. 

Watch the Kickstarter promo video for Alfredo's Fire below, and check out the crowdsourcing campaign here.