I’m please to be one of the few people unconnected to Ticked-Off Trannies with Knives who has actually seen the film and thinks it’s good. I’m also proud to say that, unlike some others, I actually believe in freedom of speech.
It’s nice to see Todd Camp does, too.
Camp, founder of Fort Worth’s Q Cinema, has announced that Israel Luna’s controversial film — where drag queens, some actual transgender women, fight back after a brutal gay bashing — will get its “Southwestern premiere” at the 12-year-old gay film fest later this spring. But what I really like is the thoughtful way Camp & Co. address the attacks on the film:
The film has already touched off a wave of criticism throughout the blogosphere, inspiring a Facebook group out to have the pulled from Tribeca and planned protests in New York. [GLAAD] issued an action alert declaring that, “the film, its title and its marketing misrepresent the lives of transgender women and use grotesque, exploitative depictions of violence in ways that make light of the horrific brutality they all too often face.”
Q Cinema staffers had made the determination to show the film before the trans tempest began stirring, but remain even more committed to presenting it after watching the efforts to try to have the film removed from Tribeca.
Q Cinema, first and foremost, has been a supporter of local filmmakers and Israel has been a long-time friends of the festival since we premiered his first feature several years ago. … Oone of the roles of any film festival is the present new, dangerous, sometimes unpopular ideas and the allow audiences to decide for themselves. …
For the film’s legions of critics, this is an opportunity to see it before you pass judgment on it in order to avoid the kind of sight-unseen criticism that has long plagued gay- and lesbian-themed entertainment of all kinds. We’re here to screen films and open a dialogue about them afterwards. That’s what we’ve done for 12 years, and we’re not about to stop now.
Another strike in favor of free speech! Thanks, Todd, for reminding GLAAD (which Tribeca called out as hypocrites after they ENDORSED the film earlier before shifting their opinion with the political winds) and their fellow advocates favoring censorship would think about this, they’d see what they are doing is no better than what happened in Stephenville and ever gay-themed movie that has ever tried to play in a small-town.
Dallas — and New York — is not a small town. Too bad it is being painted with small-town thinking on this issue of artistic expression.
I’m so done with this issue. I feel like I’ve been talking in repeat for the last couple of weeks. I understand why some members of the trans community are upset over this movie (whether they’ve seen it or not). As a non-trans woman, it is not my place to tell someone trans to not be upset and to get over it. Like it would not be your place as a white male to tell me that I should not be offended by some rap videos or the movie Soul Plane. That is the issue here (not censorship/freedom of speech). There has been this underlining tone from the gay community that transwomen are overreacting and should SO get over it. So another endorsement of this movie from a white gay male does nothing to change the minds of upset members of the trans community.
what color is the carpet going to be? I don’t want it to clash with my lip gloss
I’m not sure what is worse – misrepresenting the call to boycott a film that many trans women have found numerous problems with, or describing the film in a way that appears to misrepresent the intent of Israel Luna.
I just wonder if the cast of the film will point out all your mistakes…
I am Transgendered and am not offended by the title or the movie. From what I have seen so far in the Movie Trailers, I can not wait for it to be released in a theater near me here in San Diego so that I can see it.
I heard about it from Facebook, someone sent me an invite to join their hate group for the movie, which led me to find out what it was about. Then I found the Tribeca site which had the movie trailers.
I feel that the Trans Community should wake up and be proud that this movie has been made. It does show the violence that we face as being different in society, and it is not sugar coated.
How often is a Movie made about and also stars Transsexuals, and on top of that, getting revenge, NEVER.
For all the Protesting and Hate Groups out there, all they are really doing is to Help Promote the Movie. Tell people to stay away from something, and curiosity will send them to it.
Also, I am sure that not many of the people against this movie have seen it.
So, from a Tranny, I say, “More power to the people who are not afraid to make a movie like this one, and may more be made in the future.”
Tisha, my non-trans sister… I love you. You get it. Someone listened! My heart is again full. 🙂
Tisha — If you’re so over it, stop commenting, And your calling me a “white male” is offensive. I am not white and do not identify as white (I prefer pinkish brown). You have no right to use a term I disagree with, and I have every right to attack you in a public square for being a bigot and encouraging hatred against me, and demanding you withdraw all your comments and apologize to my community for this insult. At least, that’s the natural consequence of your “not about free speech” position. It’s old fashioned censorship plain and simple. (To Laughriotgirl, exactly how have I misrepresented the actions by the trans community to censor the film by having it withdrawn from a festival? Did I get that wrong? Because I didn’t. The trans community isn’t calling for a boycott, they are demanding censorship.)
In the “trans” community they don’t call it “censorship” unless it’s something they want to see, and nobody else does; they’re funny that way, they use words differently than the rest of us. I think it’s the hormones.
@ Arnold Wayne Jone –
Feigned indignation and dismissive BS aside, NONE – ZERO – NADA of the initial trans women who criticized the movie were calling for it to be removed. Questioning the vetting process of a film festival is NOT censorship. Telling a film festival that a film they chose has some very problematic elements and they may want to reconsider its choices is NOT censorship. Unless you are doing an article calling GLAAD out for “censoring” CNN you are simply applying a different standard to media about gay men by straight people vs media by gay men about trans women.
Since you are so supportive of the film, I’m sure you are aware of the parts in this article you got wrong – or at least the parts La Luna & Co have gone at length to correct elsewhere.