{"id":851677,"date":"2024-01-23T13:23:19","date_gmt":"2024-01-23T18:23:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/glaad.org\/?p=851677"},"modified":"2024-01-23T16:24:12","modified_gmt":"2024-01-23T21:24:12","slug":"glaad-hosts-fireside-chats-spotlighting-transgender-storytellers-at-sundance-film-festival","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/glaad.org\/glaad-hosts-fireside-chats-spotlighting-transgender-storytellers-at-sundance-film-festival\/","title":{"rendered":"GLAAD Hosts Fireside Chats Spotlighting Transgender Storytellers at Sundance Film Festival"},"content":{"rendered":"

On Monday, January 22nd, GLAAD hosted a double feature event, spotlighting the hard work and creativity of transgender storytellers at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Alex Schmider and Shar Jossell<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Trans and nonbinary writers, directors, actors, allies, and activists came together at The Box Theater in Park City to celebrate the projects telling authentic trans stories and discuss the future of storytelling.<\/p>\n

The event included two Fireside Chats, featuring panel discussions with Yance Ford<\/strong> and Shar Jossell, <\/strong>followed by Moi Santos,\u00a0River Gallo, Sav Rodgers,<\/strong> and Alex Schmider.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Before the fireside chats commenced, Alex Schmider, GLAAD’s Director of Transgender Representation, welcomed those in attendance and shared an urgent call-to-action.<\/p>\n

“We\u2019re here today to listen and learn from some incredible filmmakers and culture shifters who are catalyzing authentic storytelling from within and of our communities, through their own filmmaking and\/or organizational work.\u00a0 Before, though, I bring up our first fireside chat, I want to acknowledge where we are.\u00a0 Just a few days ago, a dangerous bill HB 257 advanced in Utah, and we all should speak out against it.”<\/p>\n

He went on to explain, “This bill, if passed, will make it a criminal offense for people to use a bathroom in a public building that doesn\u2019t correspond to the gender on their birth certificate, among other things.\u00a0 I can\u2019t overstate how dangerous this bill is, not only for trans people, but for anyone who doesn’t perfectly conform to conventional gender norms. That\u2019s A LOT of us.\u00a0 Another bill attacks diversity and inclusion education efforts.\u00a0 This year\u2019s Sundance Film Festival includes powerful films created by and centering trans people.\u00a0 If this bill becomes law, by next year, Sundance 2025\u2026the people you will see on this stage will have to make decisions about their safety in order to be here. Many already are.\u00a0 It\u2019s incumbent on all of us to speak out against this anti-trans legislation that not only endangers trans people, but anyone who is suspected of knowing their gender better than Utah’s government.”<\/p>\n

\"\"
Yance Ford and Shar Jossell<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The first conversation, moderated by award-winning journalist and media personality Shar Jossell, was an interview with director Yance Ford about his career and the premiere of his latest documentary Power<\/em> at the Sundance Film Festival.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Yance Ford<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Power\u00a0<\/em>exposes the American policing system and shows how it has exploded in scope and scale over hundreds of years.<\/p>\n

\"\"
River Gallo, Sav Rodgers, Moi Santos and Alex Schmider<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The second Fireside Chat, moderated by GLAAD’s Director of Transgender Representation and producer Alex Schmider, spotlighted trans storytellers and organization representatives, including Moi Santos; Manager, EIB, Sundance Institute<\/a>, River Gallo; Actor\/Screenwriter\/Producer, Ponyboi<\/em>, and Sav Rodgers; Director & Founder, Transgender Film Center<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"
River Gallo, Sav Rodgers<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The group discussed the impact of authentic personal filmmaking and their work creating opportunities for more.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Gallo spoke about their film Ponyboi<\/em>, directed by Esteban Arango, <\/strong>which tells the story of a young intersex sex worker who must run from the mob after a drug deal goes sideways, forcing them to confront their past. The film has a star studded cast including Gallo, Dylan O’Brien,\u00a0Victoria Pedretti,\u00a0Murray Bartlett, <\/strong>and Indya Moore.<\/strong><\/p>\n

See here<\/a> and here<\/a> for more on GLAAD’s work at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On Monday, January 22nd, GLAAD hosted a double feature event, spotlighting the hard work and creativity of transgender storytellers at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. Trans and nonbinary writers, directors, actors, allies, and activists came together at The Box Theater in Park City to celebrate the projects telling authentic trans stories and discuss the future<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":449,"featured_media":851703,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"apple_news_api_created_at":"","apple_news_api_id":"","apple_news_api_modified_at":"","apple_news_api_revision":"","apple_news_api_share_url":"","apple_news_cover_media_provider":"image","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_cover_video_id":0,"apple_news_cover_video_url":"","apple_news_cover_embedwebvideo_url":"","apple_news_is_hidden":"","apple_news_is_paid":"","apple_news_is_preview":"","apple_news_is_sponsored":"","apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"middle","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":["https:\/\/news-api.apple.com\/sections\/910a3f03-8df2-377c-af7a-60d8a013ef68"],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[139173,138841,139298,138420,138413,138401,138732,138402,138405,138409],"tags":[122885],"ppma_author":[139069],"class_list":{"0":"post-851677","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-activism","8":"category-advocacy","9":"category-arts-and-theater","10":"category-awards-season","11":"category-people-of-color","12":"category-entertainment","13":"category-featured","14":"category-film","15":"category-news","16":"category-transgender","17":"tag-sundance-film-festival"},"aioseo_notices":[],"apple_news_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t