Later this year, Philadelphia will host a pioneering multimedia festival focusing on the transgender and gender nonconforming communities, the first of its kind on the East Coast.
Organizers for Gender Reel, which will be held in September, will host a kick-off fundraising party, “Come Out,” at 9:30 p.m. June 2 at Tabu, 200 S. 12th St.
The event, which coincides with the opening night of the Philadelphia Trans-Health Conference, will feature performances from musicians, spoken-word artists, drag queens and other entertainers.
The night will offer a preview of the talent that will be on display at Gender Reel, which will feature films, photography, artwork and other pieces that challenge conceptions of gender.
Gender Reel chair Joe Ippolito said the festival grew out of a consensus among members of the gender nonconforming community that their perspectives were not adequately addressed through other arts events.
“It was a reaction to the lack of transgender representation in more mainstream GLBT film festivals throughout the country. That’s not saying that they’re not doing a good job, it was just more that there were not a lot of images that we wanted to see, so we thought we’d start something of our own.”
There are a handful of trans-specific film festivals in other parts of the country, like in Seattle and San Francisco, but Ippolito said organizers chose to expand the scope to include an array of artforms.
Organizer Jess Kalup said the concept is an innovative, and much needed, one.
“It’s very unique,” she said. “There’s definitely a need for it. In the major gay and lesbian film festivals, trans folks and issues are often swept under the carpet, and Gender Reel is a perfect way to satiate that need.”
The response has already been impressive, Ippolito said.
Organizers have a wealth of submissions from all corners of the nation, and the festival has also gone international, with submissions from Australia, Latin America and Japan.
Ippolito said organizers will be making final decisions on the selections in the next few weeks, and the lineup is anticipated to be diverse — with film submissions ranging from hour-long narratives to half-hour documentaries to films that last only a few minutes.
The day-and-a-half festival, held Sept. 9-10 at 320 S. Broad St., is expected to showcase eight to 12 films, in addition to the gallery of artwork.
Ippolito noted submissions — which are due June 15, although Ippolito said exceptions can be made — do not need to be created by or focus on transgender individuals.
“Our mission is really broader than the transgender community; we’re looking at anything that’s gender nonconforming,” he said. “We got a submission from a gay man who does a webisode about a group of gay men who are pushing against the binary gender ideas of what it means to be a gay man: They talk about how they’re effeminate and not buying into the stereotypical masculinity forced upon gay men. So it doesn’t matter how people identify personally: As long as the submission is about pushing against stereotypes of gender presentation, it meets the mission of the festival.”
Clips from some of the films expected to be added to the Gender Reel lineup will be shown during “Come Out,” which will also feature the premiere of a trailer for Gender Reel, which includes footage from an organizers’ retreat, planning meetings and Sunday OUT!
Kalup said the party is a good opportunity for the entire LGBT community to learn about the strengths and talents of its transgender and gender nonconforming members.
“It’s a great space and a good chance for people to see trans folks in their element, where they can focus more on their art and less on their gender,” she said.
The party will center on the theme of classic films, with decorations of movie posters that challenged gender stereotypes like “Some Like It Hot” and “popcorn girls” (as opposed to cigarette girls) trolling the club.
“The whole thing’s going to be a little campy, but it’s going to be a lot of fun,” Ippolito said. “This is our way to come out to the community and let them know who we are, what we’ve been doing and what our goals are.”
The cover is $5-$10, and proceeds benefit Gender Reel as well as the Jim Collins Surgery Fund, which funds surgery for transgender individuals.
For more information, visit www.genderreelfest.com.
Jen Colletta can be reached at [email protected].