Born and raised in Brooklyn, singer-songwriter, actress, and essayist Nomi Ruiz has blazed a trail as the first Latinx trans woman to perform at major international music events like the Montreax Jazz Festival, Glastonbury, and Lovebox. In 2005 she released her debut album, Lost In Lust, a gritty blend of 90s hip-hop, R&B and soul,... Continue Reading →
Exclusive Interview: 9-1-1 Lone Star’s Brian Michael Smith “there are all different kinds of trans people in the world & we should see all different kinds of trans people on screen”
Brian Michael Smith is not only living his dream as a successful actor, but he's also creating the mainstream trans masculine representation he didn't see growing up in the 80s and 90s in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Having already landed recurring spots on high profile dramas like Ava DuVernay’s Queen Sugar and The L Word: Generation... Continue Reading →
NewFest 2020 Film Review: Alice Júnior ★★★★
Gil Baroni's Alice Júnior is a neon pink filled delight that stylishly puts the T in teen movie. The dynamic, fast-paced opening sequence, with some great aerial shots by cinematographer Renato Ogata, immediately takes us into the coastal city of Recife in North Eastern Brazil and into the bedroom of the charismatic and self-assured titular... Continue Reading →
NewFest 2020 Film Review: Keyboard Fantasies: The Beverly Glenn-Copeland Story ★★★★
Posy Dixon's debut feature documentary Keyboard Fantasies: The Beverly Glenn-Copeland Story is a delicate, nuanced and life-affirming tribute to the experimental folk-jazz turned synth singer-songwriter. With an interview with the musician, who now goes by Glenn Copeland, at its centre, the film paints an intimate biographical portrait focused on his emotional and creative journey, with... Continue Reading →
TV Review: Equal ★★★★★
Equal is an ambitious, fast-paced, dynamic, creatively told, often gripping and frequently moving four-part docu-series landing on HBO Max this LGBTQ History Month to remind us that queer history in the USA did not begin and end with the Stonewall riots in June 1969. The final episode though, Stonewall: From Rebellion to Liberation, directed by... Continue Reading →
Exclusive Interview: cinematographer Ava Benjamin Shorr on HBO Max’s LGBTQ+ rights docu-series Equal “it’s a deeply emotional experience to recreate these people from the past”
Following her work as director of photography on Sam Feder's groundbreaking documentary Disclosure, Ava Benjamin Shorr has now lensed the dynamic and stirring four-part LGBTQ+ civil rights docu-series Equal, which premieres on HBO on Thursday October 22nd. Her work on the series saw her collaborate with directors Stephen Kijak and Kimberly Reed to create visually... Continue Reading →
64th BFI London Film Festival LGBTQ+ highlights
The 64th BFI London Film Festival (LFF) runs from October 7th-18th, and like many other festivals, Covid-19 restrictions mean that it's taking a different form this year. Given current circumstances the 2020 programme offers a reduced number of feature films, just 58, plus collections of short films and experimenta, but with an expanded reach across... Continue Reading →
TIFF 2020 Film Review: No Ordinary Man ★★★★
UPDATE: No Ordinary Man opens in US theaters July 16th 2021. Directors Aisling Chin-Yee and Chase Joynt take us on a thought-provoking and emotionally potent journey as they track the life and legacy of trans masculine icon American jazz musician Billy Tipton, who enjoyed a successful career in the 1940s and 50s. When he died... Continue Reading →
Outfest 2020 Closing Night Film Review: Two Eyes ★★★★★
This year’s Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival came to a close tonight with the world premiere of writer-director Travis Fine’s exceptional Two Eyes. Fine, who also serves as editor, effortlessly weaves an ambitious, rich cinematic tapestry with a triptych of narratives that explore and celebrate the spectrum of queerness and gender identity over more than... Continue Reading →
Outfest 2020 Film Review: Gossamer Folds ★★★★
UPDATE: Indican Pictures will release Gossamer Folds in select theaters on August 12th 2022 and on VOD on August 23rd 2022. Director Lisa Donato’s Gossamer Folds focuses on the heartwarming friendship between two Kansas City suburban neighbours in 1986. When his parents decide to move the family away from the city in an attempt to... Continue Reading →
