Aug 1

Aug 1 Listening and Learning: Netflix vs. Virtual Film Festivals

These last few months in the midst of COVID have been an important time for us to listen, learn and act on behalf of others but especially for those who are living on the margins. Following Pride Month the LGBTQ community has been on my mind and I’ve found myself reflecting on how the transgender people are portrayed in the media.

The new Netflix release Disclosure has been giving people a lot to think about. The powerful documentary examines how transgender people have been depicted on screen over the past century. Laverne Cox – widely known for her transgender role in Orange is the New Black – speaks about her experiences.

“I think the way trans people have been represented on screen have suggested that we are not real, have suggested that we are mentally ill, that we don’t exist,” Cox says in the documentary. “And yet, here I am. Yet here we are, and we’ve always been here.”

There’s another film I’m looking forward to seeing. It’s not as widely recognized, but I think it will be an important film nonetheless. Gossamer Folds is a fictional story about 10-year-old in 1986 who is uprooted and unwillingly moved to a new home. When his transphobic father discovers that their next-door neighbor is a trans black woman named Gossamer, he forbids his son to leave the house. But as his parent’s marriage unravels, the boy forms a powerful bond with Gossamer.

Gossamer Folds is not an easy find for the public yet, but it’s making the rounds in virtual film festivals. This week, from August 10-16, you can livestream it from the comfort of your own home at the 2020 virtual Bentonville Film Festival, a non-profit organization focused on promoting underrepresented voices of diverse storytellers.

The film’s director, Lisa Donato, shared some thoughts on the making of this movie. When asked what inspired her to work on this project, Donato explained that as a gay woman, she had grown up in a small Montana town where the only place she felt accepted was in the music store. Now, married to another woman, she finds herself looking for films that show marginalized groups.

So far, people who have seen the movie have loved it. “It’s a tear-jerker,” Donato says. “It’s a great film for people who don’t know a lot on this topic. My hope is that it will start a conversation. This movie is a healthy representation of black trans. Most movies show trans as victims or the source of negativity. It’s unusual to show this healthy representation. I want people to walk away with that healthy vision of trans people.”

The timing of Disclosure and Gossamer Folds couldn’t be better. I look forward to some important and necessary conversations that will come from watching these films, as we use this time to listen and learn.

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Author: Mona Maine de Biran

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Photo Credit: Gossamer Folds (Courtesy of Paperclip Ltd.)