The Trans Film Mentorship (TFM) will stage the second annual Trans Filmmakers Summit x TIFF, at the 48th Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday, September 10th at Malaparte at the TIFF Bell Lightbox. Open to all trans and non-binary creators, filmmakers, actors, industry partners and allies, Trans Filmmakers Summit x TIFF will be an afternoon to foster industry exchanges and dialogue and to reimagine trans storytelling as an opportunity to nurture emerging trans talent in the film and TV industry. The Trans Filmmakers Summit (TFS) will also spotlight the films at TIFF 2023 made by trans and non-binary directors and/or featuring trans and non-binary talent.
The Trans Film Mentorship will present the CMF Barrier Breaker Award to Bilal Baig, star and co-creator of Sort Of, the CBC/Max Original Peabody Award-winning series. The award honours “a trans leader who is actively challenging the limitations of the media industry and disrupting the system, paving the way for more and better trans representation and storytelling”. The Barrier Breaker Award, which is sponsored by the Canada Media Fund, will be presented by Sort Of co-showrunner Fab Filippo.
“After our inaugural year, we’re back for another edition of the Trans Film Summit. We’re so excited to return to the TIFF rooftop and serve laughter, joy, and connection. Last year the Barrier Breaker Award was presented to the luminous TS Madison, this year we have the honour to present the CMF Barrier Breaker Award to Bilal Baig for their groundbreaking work on their award-winning series Sort Of,” shared Trans Film Mentorship co-founder Luis De Filippis.
Drawing from the roots of queer and trans community gatherings, TFS producers have created an energetic event that is celebratory, inspiring and accessible to all. Inspired by the format of a late-night talk show, the TFS will be co-hosted by TFM Luis De Filippis and co-founder Gabrielle Zilkha, host of the Toronto live show A Late Night GAB with Friends. Director Jen Markowitz and film participant Isaiah Hurlbut of the TIFF 2023 documentary Summer Qamp, will be special guests at the event. Summer Qamp follows a group of LGBTQ+ youth at an idyllic lakeside camp in Alberta, Canada. The campers enjoy the traditional summer camp experience in a safe, affirming environment where they deepen their connections with their community and themselves.
Polaris Music Prize nominee Vivek Shraya will perform as the musical guest. The multi-disciplinary trans artist is a Canadian Screen Award winner, bestselling author of I’m Afraid of Men, founder of publishing imprint VS Books, which supports emerging BIPOC writers, and creator of the upcoming CBC Gem series, How to Fail as a Popstar.
“We are excited to put on an interactive and engaging show that centres the trans and non-binary community. The Trans Filmmakers Summit is a space to honour trans and non-binary talent in the industry, and we are thrilled to be working with the Trans Film Mentorship on this important initiative,” added Jessica Adams and Rua Wani from Adani Pictures, producers of the TFS.
TFS is produced by the Trans Film Mentorship and Adani Pictures, and has received support from the Canada Media Fund, Toronto International Film Festival, CBC Films, Elevation Pictures, Inside Out Film Festival, Sphere Media, City of Toronto, NABET 700, Ontario Creates, Film Finances, and the National Screen Institute. For more information visit transfilmmentorship.com and follow on Instagram @tfmentorship and Tiktok @transfilmmentorship.
