Monday 9 April 2012

Trouble dans le genre

I know all of you have heard about Voguing and the House Ballroom Scene of New York City 1989-92 by the fabulous Chantal Regnault. If you're interested in this book you probably already know Paris is Burning, the ultimate movie about the ballroom scene. Well, I was surfing on stagevu.com and I found two documentaries that you might find appealing.

First one is Venus Boyz (2002) distributed by Ad Vitam.
Summary found on IMDb: A film journey through a universe of female masculinity. A legendary Drag King Night in New York is the point of departure for an odyssey to transgendered worlds, where women become men - some for a night, others for their whole lives. What motivates them? What changes take place? What do they dream of? The drag kings of New York meet in clubs and change lustfully into their male alter egos, parodying them and exploring male eroticism and power strategies. In London we see women experiment with hormones to become new men and 'cyborgs'. Masculinity and transformation as performance, subversion or existential necessity.
Support and buy it if you like it!

Second one is The Aggressives (2005) distributed by 7AR.
Summary found on the distributor website: A favorite of the film festival circuit, THE AGGRESSIVES is an insightful look at the little explored, yet highly dramatic subculture of lesbian women who identify as men. This Fascinating documentary features intimate and revealing interviews with six aggressive women. Homeboy Marquise fosters a masculine image by strapping her chest until suddenly forced to live as a woman after enlisting in the army. Passing as a femme boy, Tiffany doesn't identify as a lesbian because she has "straight" sex with pre-op transgender women. Raw and uninhibited ex-con Octavia goes from drug dealer to construction worker. Androgynous Kisha balances her aggressive life with a career as a fashion model. The film follows them through their daily lives and highlights their participation in the underground lesbian "ball" scene - the female counter-part to Paris is Burning. The Aggressives range in masculinity but do not aspire to be men. Nor are they "drag kings." They have found an unexplored loophole in society's gender tapestry and this film seeks to expose their world.
Support and buy it if you like it!

By the way if you live in France, you would be interested to know that, Les Ouvreurs, a local association from Nice is currently organizing a small fest focused on "Gender Trouble" with MANY amazing guests... CAN'T WAIT :) I will take pictures and do a review of the fest on my blog for sure.

See you guys.

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