Program 2015
Welcome to Melbourne’s second international trans and gender diverse film festival! tilde was born of the desire to build community and connection through sharing and celebrating film stories of gender diversity, and to counter the long history of narrow and distorted representations of trans and gender diverse (gd) people. With more variety in trans and gd stories emerging in the mainstream, tilde remains committed to offering opportunities to trans and gd filmmakers and showcasing films that contain more positive, complex, varied and authentic representations of trans and gd people. We also believe in the importance and power of bringing people together over the tilde festival weekend. As an international, community- based festival, we believe a spirit of solidarity can exist across differences, distances and cultures.
SESSION 1: (FRIDAY)
Opening night
Two 4 One + 100 Crushes Chapter 6: They
Friday 13th November 8 pm – Doors open 7.00 pm
After this session the celebrations continue at tilde’s offical opening night party. Join us in a welcoming space for tunes and shenanegans at the Lithuanian Club bar.
Exempt from classification- People under the age of 15 must be accompanied by an adult.
“Due to circumstances out of our control and venue restrictions people under 18 are not allowed into the bar space, however they are welcome in cinema and open foyer space. We apologise if this creates any inconvenience”
Two 4 One is a narrative ‘dramedy’ about a trans man, Adam, and what ensues when his ex-girlfriend contacts him out of the blue. Adam and Miriam broke up over two years ago, before Adam’s transition. Miriam requests Adam’s help with her artificial insemination kit, which she’s received in the mail. Adam helps Miriam out a little bit too much and not only ends up inseminating her but also ends up in her bed and pregnant himself. Two 4 One explores the complexities of love, gender, sexuality, family, pregnancy, relationship paradigms and masculine ideals from a queer and trans perspective.
• Best Canadian Film – Victoria Film Festival 2015 Audience
• Award, Best Canadian Fiction Film – Available Light Film
• Festival 2015 Audience Award, Best Feature Film –
• Translations: The Seattle Transgender Film Festival 2015
• Outstanding Male Performance (Gavin Crawford) – ACTRA Toronto Awards 2015
• Best Supporting Performance, Female (Gabrielle Rose) Leo Awards 2015
• Audience Choice Award (Screenplay) – Female Eye Film Festival
100 Crushes Chapter 6: They
Canada, 2014, 2 mins.
Dir. Elisha Lim
Stop Motion Animation
Hari was the first person I knew to use the pronoun ‘they’. I resented it, resisted it, envied it, and finally adopted it myself.”
SESSION: 2 (SATURDAY)
COLLECTION OF SHORTS
Sat 14 Nov. 1pm Doors open 12.30pm
A collection of shorts from around the globe, featuring films either made by trans and gender diverse filmmakers or focusing on trans and gender diverse content. These films will screen with an intermission. Non-English language films will be subtitled.
Exempt from classification- People under the age of 15 must be accompanied by an adult.
Coco Solid – Heaven’s Gate (inc. FAFSWAG doco)
Aotearoa, 2014, 5 mins.
Dir. Coco Solid, Carthew Nea
A music video documentary about the FAFSWAG Ball, a South Auckland event that celebrates Polynesian fa’afafine (
MyMy
Australia, 2014, 14 mins
Dir. Anna Helme
n a mythic cyberfeminist universe, a frustrated young man yearns for affinity and connection. In this age of digital avatars, he crafts a far more corporeal version of himself – by stitching together parts of himself to become his own cyborg twin. But his new clone has been corrupted by a techno- magick virus. This other self embodies a dangerous idea: that there are parts of ourselves beyond our control.
You’re Dead to Me
USA, 2013, 12 mins.
Dir. Wu Tsang
A Latina mother and her estranged child are forced to revisit past issues on a tragic anniversary date. Directed by Wu Tsang, produced by Melissa Haizlip and written by Adelina Anthony.
Performing Girl
UK, 2014, 3 films x 3 mins each.
Dir. Raphael Fox and Lewis Hancox
A documentary about D’Lo – a queer, transgender, Tamil Sri Lankan American actor, writer, director and comic who began performing at age 11 for his family and classmates in California’s desert town of Lancaster. Animations, home movies and family snapshots paint a portrait of D’Lo’s personality. In interviews and performance clips from his performances, D’Lo and his parents explain how his identity – and their relationships – have changed over the past 20 years.
- Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Documentary Short Film – Outfest LA 2013
- Audience Award for Best Short Film – Southwest Gay & Lesbian Film Festival 2013
Sissy
Canada, 2014, 3 mins.
Dir. Alec Butler
What exactly is a sissy? Sissy explores masculinity, gender identity, misogyny and self-acceptance. A playful exploration of what it means to be a sissy.
Perfect in My Imperfections
Aotearoa, 2012, 22 mins.
Dir. Julia Parnell
An exploration of a challenging time in the life of choreographer, dancer and fakaleiti (Tongan transgender person) Amanaki Prescott. Though a rising star in the New Zealand professional dance scene, Amanaki struggles to feel accepted within the Tongan community and her own family. In an attempt to challenge her place within both Tongan and New Zealand culture, Amanaki plans a dance performance in which she takes on the traditional Tongan female dance moves.
Beyond the Mirror’s Gaze
Canada, 2014, 12 mins.
Dir. Ms Naughty
Genderqueer porn star Jiz Lee bathes in a warm bath and the words of their fans. This erotic exploration of Jiz Lee’s body is also a testament to the way that porn can expand horizons and change minds.
SESSION: 3 (SATURDAY)
The New Man + Escaping into Common Places…
Sat 14 Nov. 5 pm Doors open 4.30 pm
The New Man (El Hombre Nuevo) + Escaping into Common Places, Having Gothic Adventures in the Neoclassical and Other Ages. Or: My Life is Framed by You
The New Man (El Hombre Nuevo)
Uruguay/Chile, 2015, 79 mins.
Dir. Aldo Garay
At the tender age of 12, Roberto supported the Sandinista revolution in Nicaragua and fought for education and social reforms. Roberto was to continue the political struggle, fighting alongside the communist Tupamaros in Uruguay. Thirty years later she struggles to live her life as a woman named Stephanía.
Documentary filmmaker Aldo Garay has followed Stephanía for over 20 years. In The New Man he provides a personal and tender portrait of a woman who looks back on a tempestuous life in which violence, drugs, sex work and political commitment all found their place. The picture of society that emerges is as diverse as it is intimate.
Teddy Award, Best Documentary – Berlin Film Festival 2015
Escaping into Common Places, Having Gothic Adventures in the Neoclassical and Other Ages. Or: My Life is Framed by You
Netherlands, 2014, 6 mins.
Dir. Mijke van der Drift, Alex Reuter
Caught between hypervisibility and erasure, a trans body performs politics by countering gendered assumptions about space, shape, intention, position and norms.
SESSION: 4 (SATURDAY)
Something Must Break + Hello Titty
Sat 14 Nov, 8pm. Doors open 7.30pm
Something Must Break (Nånting måste gå sönder)
Sweden, 2014, 85 mins.
Dir. Ester Martin Bergsmark
- Best Actress (Saga Becker) – Guldbagge Awards 2015
- Silver Q Hugo Award, Best Feature Chicago International Film Festival 2014
- Mai Zetterling Grant (Ester Martin Bergsmark) – Göteborg Film Festival 2014 Jury Prize,
- Best Feature Film – Queer Lisboa Festival,Internacional de Cinema Queer 2014
- Tiger Award (Ester Martin Bergsmark) – Rotterdam International Film Festival 2014
- Ocaña Award (Ester Martin Bergsmark) – Seville European Film Festival 2014
Hello Titty
Germany, 2015, 15 mins.
Dir. Skyler Braeden Fox
Tit Star Showboy is wrapping up his career as a tit flasher, and is offering one last round of private viewings in his trailer, just days before his top surgery. The queers have all come flocking to see the show. Inside the trailer, perversion and hilarity ensue.
SESSION: 5 (SUNDAY)
tilde short documentaries
SESSION 5 Sun 15 Nov. 4 pm Doors open 3.30 pm
This collection of short documentaries, made by or about trans and/or gender diverse people and communities, highlights significant contributions, challenges and personal journeys of activists within marginalised communities in Australia, Turkey and China. EXEMPT FROM CLASSIFICATION Recommended for ages 12+. People under the age of 15 must be accompanied by an adult.
Arrernte Sistergirls Share Their Journey
Australia, 2015, 9 mins.
Dir. Andrew McNamara
Following the success of last year’s screening of the short film Sistagirls, the Arrernte Sistergirls Brianna and Rosalina Curtis – fierce advocates for both trans and Indigenous rights – are back to share more glimpses of their experiences, hardships and pivotal moments as a ‘minority of a minority of a minority’, while conveying with inspiring candour what gives them strength and what’s possible. Produced specially for tilde by Bent TV, Melbourne’s LGBTI audiovisual production group.
Voltrans
Turkey, 2013, 60 mins.
Dir. P. Ulaş Dutlu, Özge Özgüner
The trans activists that gather together as Voltrans – the first trans men’s organisation in Turkey – talk about being a trans man in a transphobic and heterosexist society, the impact of gender roles, and their struggle against clichés regarding manhood and ‘trans manhood’; each with their own subjective views and down-to-earth honesty.
Brothers
China, 2013, 24 mins.
Dir. Yaoyao
China’s first documentary to focus on the female-to-male transgender community, which endures hardships unfathomable to the majority within Chinese society. It documents the life of Tony, who forms part of a group of female-to-male transgender people who call each other brothers. Brothers shows Tony’s road to self-acknowledgement and the difficulties he encounters on his path.
SESSION: 6 (SUNDAY)
closing night
Quick Change + Float
Sun 15 Nov, 7.30pm. Doors open 7pm
Join us after the film as we party up a storm with our closing night celebrations!
Quick Change
Philippines, 2013, 98 mins.
Dir. Eduardo Roy Jr
Dorina is a trans woman with a flourishing career – albeit in an illegal cosmetic surgery business. She is a mother figure to her eight-year-old nephew, Hero, and a devoted wife to Uno. Dorina’s weapon is the syringe, which can turn an ordinary face from simply pretty to pretty fierce.
Her customers are mostly seasoned gay beauty pageant contestants, obsessed about the men in their lives. But behind the quest for beauty lies the pain and suffering of achieving it. Is it about gaining more confidence, or a desperation and hunger for love? Between her job and her family, Dorina feels like one lucky woman – until Uno falls for someone else.
- Acting Prize (Migs Cuaderno) – Chéries-Chéris 2014 Balanghai Trophy
- Best Sound, Best Actor and Best Screenplay – Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival 2013
- Special Jury Prize (Eduardo Roy Jr) – Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival 2013
- Critics Jury Award (Eduardo Roy Jr) – Vesoul Asian Film Festival 2014
“Eduardo Roy Jr’s well-crafted drama explores Manila’s transgender community with docu-like authenticity”– Richard Kuipers, Variety
Float
USA, 2015, 4 mins.
Dir. Sam Berliner
An experimental short film shot completely underwater, of trans and genderqueer folks swimming naked. Float is set to music by trans musician Rae Spoon. It has been described as “stunningly celebratory” (Frameline),“exuberant” and “beautiful”.
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