Note: the following blog piece ran earlier this year. We’re re-posting today in honor of Trans Awareness Week, November 12-18. Special thanks to author Adam Vargas.
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It’s no secret that the moving image can leave a lasting impact, both consciously and subconsciously. This is especially true regarding images of people engaged in struggle and/or enjoying wild success—a phenomenon that supports the necessity for thoughtful representation of people of all backgrounds and experiences in film.
Today, representation is too often conflated with diversity, but they’re not exactly the same thing. Representation goes beyond the surface inclusion of different types of people popular media—it’s about lived experience and authenticity. Of course there are all types of communities that haven’t received much authentic representations of themselves in traditional cinema. For example: the trans community, which is itself unique and disparate far beyond what has been rendered onscreen,...
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It’s no secret that the moving image can leave a lasting impact, both consciously and subconsciously. This is especially true regarding images of people engaged in struggle and/or enjoying wild success—a phenomenon that supports the necessity for thoughtful representation of people of all backgrounds and experiences in film.
Today, representation is too often conflated with diversity, but they’re not exactly the same thing. Representation goes beyond the surface inclusion of different types of people popular media—it’s about lived experience and authenticity. Of course there are all types of communities that haven’t received much authentic representations of themselves in traditional cinema. For example: the trans community, which is itself unique and disparate far beyond what has been rendered onscreen,...
- 11/15/2023
- by Adam Vargas
- Film Independent News & More
Just in time for Succession‘s end, let’s look at method acting. The Criterion Channel are highlighting the controversial practice in a 27-film series centered on Brando, Newman, Nicholson, and many other’s embodiment of “an intensely personal, internalized, and naturalistic approach to performance.” That series makes mention of Marilyn Monroe, who gets her own, 11-title highlight––the iconic commingling with deeper cuts.
Pride Month offers “Masc,” a consideration of “trans men, butch lesbians, and gender-nonconforming heroes” onscreen; the Michael Koresky-curated Queersighted returning with a study of the gay best friend; and the 20-film “LGBTQ+ Favorites.” Louis Garrel’s delightful The Innocent (about which I talked to him here), the director’s cut of Gregg Araki’s The Doom Generation, and Stanley Kwan’s hugely underseen Lan Yu make streaming premieres, while Araki’s Totally F***ed Up and Mysterious Skin also get a run. Criterion Editions include Five Easy Pieces,...
Pride Month offers “Masc,” a consideration of “trans men, butch lesbians, and gender-nonconforming heroes” onscreen; the Michael Koresky-curated Queersighted returning with a study of the gay best friend; and the 20-film “LGBTQ+ Favorites.” Louis Garrel’s delightful The Innocent (about which I talked to him here), the director’s cut of Gregg Araki’s The Doom Generation, and Stanley Kwan’s hugely underseen Lan Yu make streaming premieres, while Araki’s Totally F***ed Up and Mysterious Skin also get a run. Criterion Editions include Five Easy Pieces,...
- 5/22/2023
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Editor’s note: This review was originally published at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. Strand Releasing releases the film in select theaters on Friday, August 18.
Though queer and trans visibility does have its limits, there’s no denying that trans men and transmasculine people have traditionally been sidelined in the fight for trans representation. Through no fault of queer and trans storytellers, mainstream media and the culture at large only had so much space for trans stories it found understandable and digestible. Now, coming up on almost ten years after what Time Magazine dubbed “The Transgender Tipping Point,” film and television is finally starting to tell trans stories that trans viewers and queer community can recognize as their own. Though it started long ago, it’s getting a healthy boost from this year’s Sundance Film Festival.
Debuting in U.S. Dramatic Competition, “Mutt” follows a day in the life of...
Though queer and trans visibility does have its limits, there’s no denying that trans men and transmasculine people have traditionally been sidelined in the fight for trans representation. Through no fault of queer and trans storytellers, mainstream media and the culture at large only had so much space for trans stories it found understandable and digestible. Now, coming up on almost ten years after what Time Magazine dubbed “The Transgender Tipping Point,” film and television is finally starting to tell trans stories that trans viewers and queer community can recognize as their own. Though it started long ago, it’s getting a healthy boost from this year’s Sundance Film Festival.
Debuting in U.S. Dramatic Competition, “Mutt” follows a day in the life of...
- 1/24/2023
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
Silas Howard and Harry Dodge, the intrepid duo that wrote, directed and starred in By Hook or by Crook, still possess a collaborative spark that has outlived their ability to make art together. After their groundbreaking, ultra low-budget queer film premiered at Sundance 20 years ago, Howard immediately enrolled in film school at UCLA; Dodge, on the other hand, found the festival landscape far too overwhelming for his taste and decided to focus on sculpture, video art and writing. While they both followed their respective paths after By Hook or by Crook, they remain very close friends and respected colleagues. […]
The post “Our Plan for Financial Security is, We’ll Become Famous Hollywood Filmmakers”: Silas Howard and Harry Dodge on By Hook or by Crook first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “Our Plan for Financial Security is, We’ll Become Famous Hollywood Filmmakers”: Silas Howard and Harry Dodge on By Hook or by Crook first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 7/19/2022
- by Natalia Keogan
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Silas Howard and Harry Dodge, the intrepid duo that wrote, directed and starred in By Hook or by Crook, still possess a collaborative spark that has outlived their ability to make art together. After their groundbreaking, ultra low-budget queer film premiered at Sundance 20 years ago, Howard immediately enrolled in film school at UCLA; Dodge, on the other hand, found the festival landscape far too overwhelming for his taste and decided to focus on sculpture, video art and writing. While they both followed their respective paths after By Hook or by Crook, they remain very close friends and respected colleagues. […]
The post “Our Plan for Financial Security is, We’ll Become Famous Hollywood Filmmakers”: Silas Howard and Harry Dodge on By Hook or by Crook first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “Our Plan for Financial Security is, We’ll Become Famous Hollywood Filmmakers”: Silas Howard and Harry Dodge on By Hook or by Crook first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 7/19/2022
- by Natalia Keogan
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
Harry Dodge and Silas Howard in By Hook Or By Crook
They say that art flourishes within constraints. The way that LGBTQ+ stories have been pushed to the margins for most of the history of cinema has caused a lot of problems, but it has also enabled some remarkable talents to emerge within the niche which developed as a result, creating impressive pieces of art even with limited tools. One film which stands out even after 20 years, and which will shortly be receiving an anniversary screening at Outfest Los Angeles, is By Hook Or By Crook, the story or two young transmasculine people surviving in the big city and finding a way to live life on their own terms. I was delighted to have the opportunity to discuss it with writers/directors/stars Silas Howard and Harry Dodge, together with producer Steak House, in the run-up to the big event.
They say that art flourishes within constraints. The way that LGBTQ+ stories have been pushed to the margins for most of the history of cinema has caused a lot of problems, but it has also enabled some remarkable talents to emerge within the niche which developed as a result, creating impressive pieces of art even with limited tools. One film which stands out even after 20 years, and which will shortly be receiving an anniversary screening at Outfest Los Angeles, is By Hook Or By Crook, the story or two young transmasculine people surviving in the big city and finding a way to live life on their own terms. I was delighted to have the opportunity to discuss it with writers/directors/stars Silas Howard and Harry Dodge, together with producer Steak House, in the run-up to the big event.
- 7/16/2022
- by Jennie Kermode
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
While Outfest has expanded its events to include exciting year-round programming supporting a variety of LGBTQ+ filmmakers, its flagship event will always be the summer film festival.
Based in Los Angeles, Outfest is one of the first pipelines into the industry for many queer filmmakers and talent, and it’s known as a friendly launching pad for those just starting out.
This year, the festival has attracted some of the biggest names in LGBTQ film, opening with Billy Porter’s directorial debut “Anything’s Possible” and celebrating the 20th anniversary of Todd Haynes’ Sirkian masterpiece “Far From Heaven” with a 35mm screening with Haynes, Julianne Moore, and Christine Vachon in attendance.
Beyond the flashy names and star-studded events, however, the curation team at Outfest always manages to spotlight a wide range of queer films from around the world. Whether hosting world premieres or giving a platform to titles that might...
Based in Los Angeles, Outfest is one of the first pipelines into the industry for many queer filmmakers and talent, and it’s known as a friendly launching pad for those just starting out.
This year, the festival has attracted some of the biggest names in LGBTQ film, opening with Billy Porter’s directorial debut “Anything’s Possible” and celebrating the 20th anniversary of Todd Haynes’ Sirkian masterpiece “Far From Heaven” with a 35mm screening with Haynes, Julianne Moore, and Christine Vachon in attendance.
Beyond the flashy names and star-studded events, however, the curation team at Outfest always manages to spotlight a wide range of queer films from around the world. Whether hosting world premieres or giving a platform to titles that might...
- 7/13/2022
- by Jude Dry and Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
When Lana and Lilly Wachowski, the visionary sibling directors of “The Matrix” and “Sense8, came out as transgender, it was a boon for trans filmmakers everywhere. Suddenly, the Wachowskis’ entire canon of influential science fiction, fantasy (and even “Bound,” their one explicitly queer film) could be seen through a whole different lens. The news turned “The Matrix” into a metaphor for eschewing the gender binary, “Bound” could comfortably be claimed as a lesbian film made by a lesbian, and they were free to make “Sense8” as unabashedly inclusive as they wanted.
Read More: How Silas Howard Became the Best Trans Director Working Today
So: How many trans directors can you name besides the Wachowskis?
While their influence cannot be overstated, there is a robust crew of transgender filmmakers coming up in their wake. As trans stories become de rigeur, it’s increasingly important that these stories are told by trans people.
Read More: How Silas Howard Became the Best Trans Director Working Today
So: How many trans directors can you name besides the Wachowskis?
While their influence cannot be overstated, there is a robust crew of transgender filmmakers coming up in their wake. As trans stories become de rigeur, it’s increasingly important that these stories are told by trans people.
- 7/14/2017
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
Silas Howard may not be a household name yet, but he still gets recognized on the subway. One recent spring afternoon in New York, an admirer stopped the filmmaker to tell him how much his work meant to him as a trans actor. Howard greeted the fan warmly, encouraging him to get in touch, and said that he would pass along his information to people looking for trans actors. Even as one of the most influential trans directors working today, Howard remains firmly connected to the community that raised him.
“I am not offended by being brought trans stories. I’m pretty stoked about that,” said Howard, when asked if he worries about being pigeonholed. “If they’re doing it for the wrong reasons, that’s okay. I would be really excited to work in trans stories for the rest of my life.”
Read More: The 11 Most Exciting Queer Films of 2017 So Far
And work,...
“I am not offended by being brought trans stories. I’m pretty stoked about that,” said Howard, when asked if he worries about being pigeonholed. “If they’re doing it for the wrong reasons, that’s okay. I would be really excited to work in trans stories for the rest of my life.”
Read More: The 11 Most Exciting Queer Films of 2017 So Far
And work,...
- 6/30/2017
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
The second season of Jill Soloway's Transparent takes a deeper dive into queerness — it's not just Maura, played by Jeffrey Tambor, who must navigate her gender and sexuality, but each member of the Pfefferman clan. The change hasn't simply been in front of the camera, but behind it: Soloway brought a trans writer, Lady J, and a trans director, Silas Howard, into the fold for the second season. Howard was in the band Tribe 8, one of the first queercore groups from San Francisco, for many years before making his directorial debut in 2001 at Sundance with By Hook or By Crook, alongside artist Harry Dodge. (Fun fact: He's the godfather of Dodge and Maggie Nelson's child, Iggy.) Since then he's made other films as well as a recent music video for Peaches' "I Mean Something." Vulture met up with Howard at the offices of marketing agency Girlie Action...
- 12/22/2015
- by E. Alex Jung
- Vulture
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