"In 2013, I premiered my experimental short film, , at Outfest, and to my surprise, it won the Grand Jury Award. That moment wasn't just a career milestone; it was an act of recognition for the trans community. It affirmed that a trans artist could belong in cinema's future and that our stories could take up space in a world that had long refused to see us."
"More than a decade later, that act of visibility feels more urgent than ever. As the current administration works to silence and ultimately erase the trans community, our visibility itself has become a form of resistance. The arts remain one of the few spaces where we can still tell the truth about who we are, unfiltered and unafraid. Storytelling has always been our lifeline: an avenue for empathy, connection, and transformation. When protest feels insufficient, creativity becomes its own act of defiance."
"Outfest has long been the foundation of my filmmaking community. I've met creators from around the world and forged relationships that have shaped my life and career. As an attendee over the years, I've witnessed a kind of inclusion and joy that rarely exists outside the festival in Los Angeles. Outfest has offered international filmmakers not just a platform, but an invitation into the birthplace of cinema and to a community that understands the power of belonging."
In 2013 an experimental short film premiered at Outfest and won the Grand Jury Award, signaling recognition for the trans community and affirmation that trans artists belong in cinema's future. Over a decade later, visibility has become urgent as political forces aim to silence and erase the trans community, making visibility itself a form of resistance. The arts and storytelling remain spaces to tell unfiltered truths, foster empathy, and transform understanding; creativity operates as defiance when protest feels insufficient. Outfest has provided foundation, international connections, inclusion, and a platform for belonging. Trans narratives reached mainstream attention in 2013–2014 and the 2018 Trans Summit focused on confronting anti-trans policies.
Read at Advocate.com
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