Actress and activist, Shakina, made television history on NBC’s Connecting as the first trans person to play a series regular on a network comedy. She had a memorable role in Amazon's GLAAD Award-winning Transparent Musicale Finale, which she helped write and produce, as well as playing the scene-stealing trans truther Lola on Hulu’s Difficult People.... Continue Reading →
Sundance 2022 Film Review: Framing Agnes ★★★★
Chase Joynt's follow up to his exceptional No Ordinary Man (co-directed with Aisling Chin-Yee) about the life of jazz musician Billy Tipton, is the equally thrillingly and similarly genre-defying feature Framing Ages—expanding upon his own 2019 short—which just had its world premiere in the NEXT lineup at Sundance. It's a fitting section of the festival... Continue Reading →
The Queer Review 2021 – LGBTQ+ highlights of the year
With the end of this challenging year in sight, we asked some friends of The Queer Review, including prominent creators, performers, artists, and activists to share the LGBTQ+ culture or events that sustained, stimulated, or inspired them in 2021. The eclectic list features two deserving mentions for a Spanish-language limited TV series that was released... Continue Reading →
Outfest’s 5th annual Trans & Non-binary summit sets a hopeful & determined tone for the future “we can create power together”
On the last full day of programming at Outfest LA 2021 on Saturday August 21st, the world's largest LGBTQ+ film festival centered trans, non-binary, intersex, and gender-nonconforming storytellers with its fifth annual Trans and Non-Binary Summit with a rich and exciting lineup of events at the Directors Guild of America. The event opened with Kieran... Continue Reading →
Exclusive Interview: wrestler Mack Beggs “trans athletes have always been here, just like trans individuals”
Gifted wrestler Mack Beggs is one of the subjects of Michael Barnett’s compelling feature documentary about transgender teen athletes Changing the Game, which launches on Hulu on Tuesday June 1st 2021. Mack was Texas state champion twice while at high school, where he was forced to play in the female tournaments as depicted in the... Continue Reading →
Athena Film Festival 2021 Review: Julia Scotti Funny That Way ★★★1/2
Golden Globe nominated screenwriter and playwright Susan Sandler makes her feature documentary directorial debut with Julia Scotti: Funny That Way—available to watch online until March 21st as part of this year's virtual Athena Film Festival at Barnard College—a tender and heartwarming portrait of the charismatic trans comedian. If you watch America's Got Talent you'll likely... Continue Reading →
Exclusive Interview: Ryan Cassata on his new single I Met Jesus at the Gay Pride Parade “Jesus would have welcomed all at his table. That includes his trans & queer siblings”
Award-winning singer-songwriter, actor, writer, LGBTQ+ activist, and motivational speaker, Ryan Cassata began his musical career aged just 13 and has since released seven critically-acclaimed albums. His video for Daughter, a powerful and moving song about his transition and his transformed relationship with his father, has racked up over 1.4 million views on YouTube, and over... Continue Reading →
TV Review: Trans in Trumpland ★★★1/2
At the start of each of the four episodes in the new docu-series Trans in Trumpland, streaming now on Topic, we hear the unsettling words of candidate Trump vowing, "I will do everything in my power to protect our L...G...B...T...Q citizens", as he struggles to utter those letters, followed by snippets of news reports of... Continue Reading →
BFI Flare 2021 Film Review: Cowboys ★★★★
Anna Kerrigan’s contemporary western Cowboys, which won two jury awards at last year's Tribeca, with Steve Zahn taking best actor and Kerrigan winning for her screenplay and went on to win the Grand Jury Prize at Outfest for newcomer Sasha Knight, is part of the virtual 35th BFI Flare: London LGBTIQ+ Film Festival March 17-28th... Continue Reading →
Mardi Gras Film Festival 2021 Review: No Ordinary Man ★★★★
The life of transmasculine musician Billy Tipton gives directors Aisling Chin-Yee and Chase Joynt the perfect opening to explore the history of transmasculinity in culture in the excellent feature documentary, No Ordinary Man. Billy Tipton’s life is remarkable. Born in 1914, Tipton’s music career began as a radio band leader in 1936 establishing himself over... Continue Reading →