Our community includes creatives & artists who are amplifying bodily autonomy through their work, audiences who applaud these stories and collaborative organizational partners with shared goals.
rePROFilm connects storytellers and advocates who celebrate bodily autonomy.
VOL. 26, CHAMPION:
LET COMMUNITY BLOOM
At our in-person Screening Womb earlier this month, we were reminded about the power of community – especially during our post-film discussion, which was led by two amazing leaders from this month’s spotlight organization.
At its best, community affirms who we are and serves to protect us. And the most vulnerable among us need the most affirmation and protection.
That’s why we chose Camp Sunflower to champion alongside our Vol. 26 film selection “How to Not Date While Trans.” We all have the right to safely pursue relationships with other people, whether they are platonic or romantic. But that’s not the reality for everyone. Organizations like Camp Sunflower create powerful and safe communities where LGBTQ+ youth can make connections with others while being 100% themselves.
That’s worth championing.
XO,
Team rePROFilm
VOL. 26, WATCH:
I AM NOT LIKE THEM, I TELL MYSELF
We feel strongly about every short film we present, but the whole rePROFilm team is wild about our Vol. 26 selection “How Not to Date While Trans,” and we’re super excited to share it with you!
We screened the film earlier tonight at the third Screening Womb pop-up cinema event. Over cocktails, mocktails and street tacos, we had a lively discussion facilitated by two members of the Wichita trans community.
We weren’t surprised that “How Not to Date While Trans” inspired a thoughtful response. Writer/director/star Nyala Moon handles the topic of “dating while trans” with immense honesty and self-assurance. She’s undoubtedly a filmmaker to watch.
If you couldn’t join us in person, we hope you’ll host your own mini screening this Pride month on your couch with some of your favorite people. (Give a listen to Nyala on the pod and groove to this month’s playlist while you’re at it!)
XO,
Team rePROFilm
VOL. 26, LISTEN:
MEET YOUR TRANS BEST FRIEND
We’re back in your inbox with two ways to prep for our upcoming screening of “How Not to Date While Trans,” our Vol. 26 rePROFilm short film selection.
First, this month’s bumpin’ playlist is loaded with tracks by new-to-you trans and nonbinary artists.
Secondly, our Periodical Podcast features an interview with “How Not to Date” filmmaker Nyala Moon, aka your new trans best friend.
Enjoy!
XO,
Team rePRO Film
PS – If you’re in Wichita on June 5th, do join us! Click here for tickets.
VOL. 26, LEARN:
TELLING IT LIKE IT IS
It’s hard to be yourself when you have no idea how people will react to who you are. That’s the reality of dating for many trans people. We’re diving into the topic in advance of our screening of the short film “How Not To Date While Trans,” an irreverent-but-poignant comedy from director/writer/star Nyala Moon.
❇️ “I want to explore how fun being trans is—how ordinary yet extraordinary,” Moon explained in a recent interview. ❇️
We’ve collected some context: an interview and essay by Moon that both illuminate the themes of “How Not To Date,” plus a couple more windows into the trans dating experience.
XO,
the rePROFilm Team
Directed by Nyala Moon (12 minutes)
“Have you ever been in a park watching a really cute couple making out, wishing it was you … but it can’t be you because you were born with a penis? Is that relatable?”
So begins “How Not to Date While Trans,” a irreverent, fourth-wall-breaking short film from writer/director/star Nyala Moon. As Andie, Moon is a woman looking for love. She has a “three-date rule:” if a prospective match has made it that far, she breaks the news that she’s trans before the relationship goes any further. It is, as viewers will discover, an imperfect system.
“How Not to Date While Trans” is a near-perfect short film. Moon shines in a lead role that requires impressive emotional range. In one scene, Andie brags about her amazing vagina. In another, she blows off rejection with a quip, but can’t quite fix her face in time.
Best of all, this film embraces its constraints, doing the absolute most with its cast, locations and 12-minute runtime. Moon doesn’t need a moment more to tell this laser-focused story, at once light-hearted and heartbreaking. — Emily Christensen
On the Periodical Podcast, triple threat Nyala Moon chats about her “Fleabag”- inspired fourth-wall-breaking short film “How to Date While Trans.”
Like a lot of actors, Moon had to create the content she wanted to star in. When she was in school, pre-”Pose,” she jokes that most roles for trans people were “dead hooker #87” on “Law & Order: SVU.” She realized she couldn’t depend on others to create the kind of characters she wanted to play.
Moon’s “modern stories for trans people,” are populated with characters audiences can relate to. She hopes that helps transform how they feel. | transcript
“Many people do have negative opinions about trans people, but I think it comes from not knowing trans people,” the filmmaker says. “When a character breaks the fourth fall, you’re in on the joke with them. You’re navigating the journey with them.”
Trans-Inspirational Express by DJ Teri Mott
DJ Teri Mott asks us to open ourr heart, mind and ears to these trans and nonbinary artists (and one ally) such as Shea Couleé, Dominique Morgan, Worriers, and Trap Girl. Who’s your new fave?
Filmmaker Magazine interview with Nyala Moon
This is a terrific intro to Nyala Moon and how she views both her work and her trans experience. The latter, she explains, is a source of power and challenges at the same time. “I want to explore the fluidity of gender identity,” says Moon. “Being trans is not a perfect experience. There are moments of weakness, and you definitely question yourself.”
Navigating the dating world as a trans woman
“So, between me and you, there isn’t a right way to tell someone you’re trans,” writes filmmaker Nyala Moon in what amounts to an essay version of her short film, “How Not to Date While Trans, which we’ll screen at the beginning of next month. Both the film and this essay are based on Moon’s own experience trying out different ways to communicate about her identity. (Pride)
12 rules for cis men interested in dating trans women
Educate yourself, deal with your masculinity, and never, ever lead her on. These are among the (frankly inarguable) rules crafted by writer Nicky Alcenat and published on the website of a historically heteronormative men’s magazine. TBH we never thought we’d see the day.
(GQ)
Trans Guys on Grindr: Some Tips for Safety and Success
“Nothing quite says acceptance like an app designed for horny gay men,” writes Henry Giardina. “That said, trans guys looking to hook up on Grindr are vulnerable to a lot of absolute chicanery … But there are a few ways to stay safe as a transmasc while enjoying all that Grindr has to offer.
(Into)
CAMP SUNFLOWER
A supportive and affirming haven for LGBTQ+ kids in Kansas, Camp Sunflower is a weeklong sleep-away camp “created to engage LGBTQ youth in leadership and advocacy development.” We are so lucky to have gathering places for young people, especially in states where LGBTQ rights are consistently under attack. Camp Sunflower welcomes campers from across the country and offers scholarships so that those without means can attend for free.
“I’m so proud of the work that we do at Camp Sunflower, and the community we create,” says Finn Lanning, camp director. “ The impact of Camp Sunflower on these 100 kids goes far beyond each individual camper. When kids come to Camp Sunflower, they get a vision of a world where they can be accepted as their true selves that they take back to their own families, friends and communities. They see how they can live in this world, with all its difficulties and opportunities, and when they go back home, they know a little bit more about how to enact it. One kid, one family, one summer, one camp at a time, we are moving the story from one of struggle to one that affirms and celebrates each of these humans for all they are, and all they will become.”
These reviews from past campers demonstrate the organization’s importance:
“I loved camp because they were so accepting and non-judgmental, and they were patient with me and let me open up at my own pace. I met cooler people than I ever have before, and it just felt like a safe place I could be myself.”
“I’ve never felt more loved and supported than I do at Camp Sunflower. You can be who you are and not have to worry for even a moment about not being accepted.”
Take Action this June 24th
Our friends with the award-winning documentary No One Asked You are marking the two year anniversary of the overturn of Roe with a series of screenings across the country. Check out the list of cities below and get tickets for a film that will you make you rage, cry and laugh – its what we all need right now!
rePROFilm endeavors to make our programming a safe, accessible and welcome place for anyone who wants to participate. We acknowledge that we have much to learn about creating this space, and welcome and and all feedback that can make us better aware and able to support all minds and bodies.
We are committed to screening films in accessible venues, and also understand that meeting ADA standards for accessibility does not actually mean a venue is actually accommodating for everyone. As best we can, we will offer a complimentary companion ticket to our film screenings as requested. For our virtual screenings, we ask all filmmaking teams to provide closed captioning, audio descriptions or open captions whenever possible. For any questions, please contact us at 323-810-6909 or help@reprofilm.org. We are here to do our best to make our programming as inclusive as possible.
