- Fernanda, dir. Mar Angélica Molina, 2021, USA, 12 min. 🙂
- Jamie’s Pond, dir. Reid Sandlund, 2023, USA, 4 min. 👏
- Masisi Wouj, dirs. Zé Kielwagen, Marcos Serafim, & Steevens Siméon, 2021, Haiti, 22 min., in Haitian Creole with English subtitles 👏
- Creating Space, dir. Ariel Robbins, 2023, USA, 2 min. 💖
- The Barman’s Daughter, dir. Shawna Virago, 2023, USA, 4 min. 🙂
- MnM, dir. Twiggy Pucci Garçon, 2023, USA, 15 min. 💖
- Dilating for Maximum Results, dir. Nyala Moon, 2023, USA, 14 min. 💖
🔤 Masisi Wouj is fully subtitled, and Creating Space is open captioned. The other films are all fully closed captioned.
Fernanda, dir. Mar Angélica Molina, 2021, USA, 12 min. 🙂
[screened as part of the “Fun in Shorts: Tutti Frutti” and “Oh! You Pretty Things” shorts programs in Frameline46 (2022)]
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| Fernanda |
Jamie’s Pond, dir. Reid Sandlund, 2023, USA, 4 min. 👏
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| Jamie’s Pond |
Jamie goes down to the pond for some crying-by-myself time, but is surprised when a lonely naiad (water nymph) named Eft appears out of the water. Jamie and Eft cheer one another up, and have a great time playing in and around the pond. The animation is well done, and the story is sweet and cute. Highly recommended for all ages.
Masisi Wouj, dirs. Zé Kielwagen, Marcos Serafim, & Steevens Siméon, 2021, Haiti, 22 min., in Haitian Creole with English subtitles 👏
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| Masisi Wouj |
“Masisi” is a Haitian term for men who are perceived as feminine, including gay men, cross-dressers, trans people, and queer or non-binary folks of various stripes. “Wouj,” from the French “rouge,” is simply the Haitian word for “red.”
In Eurocentric culture, we are taught to view Vodou (Voudoun, Voodoo) as a primitive throwback to an unsophisticated culture. But in Haiti, Vodou stands out for its open embrace of the masisi, in stark contrast to the attitudes of the Catholic Church, for example. Sanba Yonel, a Vodou practitioner, performs a series of rituals to honor the gods of Vodou and pray for the liberation of the masisi, to free them from discrimination, stigmatization, familial violence, and sexually transmitted diseases.
It’s a fascinating look into a profoundly different cultural context, right here in our own hemisphere. Highly recommended.
• website: ZeKielwagen.Art • teaser trailer •
Creating Space, dir. Ariel Robbins, 2023, USA, 2 min.
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| Creating Space |
Cal Calamia is the first non-binary athlete to win the Bay to Breakers and the San Francisco Marathon. Here he goes for a run around the Presidio and other parts of the city, talking about his relationship with running, his body, and creating space for trans athletes. He tells the moving story of how, beginning in the 5th grade, running helped him come to terms with being trans and non-binary, and how coming to San Francisco opened new horizons of openness and acceptance. Heartfelt and deeply personal, it’s an inspiring story of finding your true self and fighting to empower others to find that same freedom. (As an added bonus, I could see my house!) MUST SEE.
The Barman’s Daughter, dir. Shawna Virago, 2023, USA, 4 min. 🙂
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| Barman’s Daughter |
The Barman’s Daughter is an experimental music video, featuring Shawna Virago (pictured, on guitar), Churro Nomi, and Mira. The lyrics talk about “the life of the barman’s daughter” behind a bar on Geary Street. Churro and Mira appear in gender-bending drag (dresses, heels, wigs, and facial hair). It’s pretty good, but not really my musical style. Recommended.
MnM, dir. Twiggy Pucci Garçon, 2023, USA, 15 min. 💖
[screened in “Shorts: The Ace of Cups Tarot” at Frameline47 (2023)]
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| MnM |
Mermaid was born male but has so much feminine energy, she uses ‘she’ pronouns. Milan, from Cleveland, is non-binary. They were surely sisters from the moment they met, and now do Ballroom together (in the House of Garçon) and help each other express and celebrate their true selves. This short documentary is a joyous testament to two powerfully fierce human beings. Definitely a MUST SEE.
Dilating for Maximum Results, dir. Nyala Moon, 2023, USA, 14 min. 💖
[screened in “Fun in Shorts: The Joker Tarot” at Frameline47 (2023)]
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| Dilating |
Young Black transwoman Dreya (played by Nyala Moon, How Not to Date While Trans [watch on YouTube!] in the “Oh, You Pretty Things” shorts program, Frameline46) has a steamy virtual thing going with a guy who wants to get together IRL, but Dreya hasn’t kept up with dilating since her bottom surgery 4 years ago (hooray for pandemic isolation), so she’s a bit anxious, trying to make up for lost time so she can have that non-virtual connection. It’s a light-hearted take, with some serious issues sprinkled in the mix, expressing a joie de vivre that will draw you along for the ride. With two wonderful shorts to her credit, I can’t wait to see what Nyala Moon does next. (Please, please make a feature film!) Definitely a MUST SEE.
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