Gender – Page 15 – Canadian Filmmakers Distribution Centre

MAN MADE

MAN MADE, a repurposed narrative of a boy who gets introduced to the wonders of life by a beautiful shining trumpet. But the struggle to be oneself has only begun. Utilizing found 16mm footage and both digital and analog manipulation techniques, Mikkola pierces conventional masculinity with a transformative queer gaze.

Arrival 1, Arrival 2

This experimental essay film springs from the final days of December 2020 when I moved from Chicago to Toronto. The film documents my move and then continues on alternate paths, weaving through the liminal spaces of borders, sickness, interpellation, and dreams. Content Note: This film contains extended discussions about fatphobia and disordered eating. Specifically, this film contains descriptions of food restriction, idealization of thinness, and intense emotional and physical pain after eating. After 11:41 there is no direct discussion of disordered eating. Flashing lights throughout. Loud noises throughout.

The Birth of a Beautiful Butch

“The Birth of a Beautiful Butch” is a story about Alex, a gay high school senior, caught between who she is and what she’s supposed to be. On the day of her school pictures, Alex feels struck with an appearance that doesn’t fit right with her body. When she retreats into her mind, she is able to imagine the person she wants to be. Ultimately, she transcends the judgement of others through fashion in an authentic expression of herself.

GANGBANG

GANGBANG takes place in a bedroom that resembles a gay porn set. Six male models occupy the space, surrounding an empty bed, staring at you. They’re shirtless, wearing blue jeans. We move closer to the group and watch each face dissolve over each other in a series of close-ups. The models never break their seductive smiles, which is all the intimacy they offer. Based on the setup, we anticipate that someone will eventually make the first move. But unlike the stimulating title, GANGBANG denies the viewer of sexual gratification; instead, time freezes – the boys pose together but never make…

blonde asian

I found a post online about blonde Asian bimbos, and this video is me reading the post aloud in my bedroom. This is a commentary of me being or not being self-aware of my gendered and sexualized identity in the digital age, and an attempt at the de-sexualization of my body by performing the very performative found script.

Don’t Forget The Water

A phone conversation sets the diasporic table as a disembodied figure prepares Qahwah Arabi / Arabic Coffee. Here, the contradictions inherent in Google Translate’s instant camera feature are made visible through glitched mistranslations. Using these flaws as a prompt, the communication between a mother and a daughter considers ambiguity as a source of embodied knowledge.

Film Categories: Gender