Ithaca College

Two Award Winning Films on Transgender Life in the 21st Century
Tangerine – Sun, Jan 26 at 2 pm
The Most Dangerous Year – Sun, Jan 26 at 4:30 pm

Ithaca College’s Center for LGBT Education, Outreach & Services, Planned Parenthood’s Out For Health: LGBT Health & Wellness program and the peer-led Ithaca Transgender Support Group have partnered with Cinemapolis for the 2nd Annual Transuary Film Series. The two film event will feature screenings of award winning films that highlight some of the issues facing transgender people in the 21st Century. Each screening will be accompanied by discussions, information, and additional local resources for transgender services and support in the community. Admission for each of these special sponsored screenings is just $5.

Tangerine – Sun, Jan 26 at 2:00 pm
It’s Christmas Eve and Sin-Dee is back on the block. Upon hearing that her pimp boyfriend hasn’t been faithful during the 28 days she was locked up, the sex worker and her best friend, Alexandra, embark on a mission to get to the bottom of the scandalous rumor. Their rip-roaring odyssey leads them through various subcultures of Los Angeles.

The Most Dangerous Year – Sun, Jan 26 at 4:30 pm
As a dark wave of anti-transgender “bathroom bills” began sweeping across the nation, The Human Rights Campaign called 2016 the most dangerous year for transgender Americans. Filmmaker Vlada Knowlton captures the ensuing civil rights battle from the perspective of a group of embattled parents – including herself and her husband, parents of a young trans girl — fighting to protect their children from discriminatory laws in their home state. While Knowlton passionately follows the story of anti-transgender legislation, the heart of the film lies in the stories of the families who accept and support their kids for exactly who they are.

The series sprung from a casual conversation between Luca Maurer (director of IC’s LGBT Center), Maureen Kelly (Planned Parenthood of Greater New York) and Brett Bossard (Executive Director of Cinemapolis) at one of Ithaca College’s “Brains in a Bar” programs featuring Maurer’s expert knowledge of LGBT history. “Luca just uttered the word ‘Transuary,’ and I was sold,” says Bossard. “We’d been looking for an excuse to work together on a project, and that catchy title, along with the abundance of great films covering a myriad of perspectives on transgender life, made this series an easy way for the three of us to collaborate. I’m excited to bring it back for another year.”

“We launched Transuary with the goal of increasing awareness, empathy, and action,” says Maurer. “The challenges that face transgender people aren’t about being trans, they’re about living in a society that stigmatizes and discriminates against them. Each year there’s one day set aside to remember our dead, and another day when we celebrate trans visibility. But as transgender people, we live our lives every day. As our Transuary films demonstrate, transgender people are more than an issue or a cause.” Maurer hopes that the diversity of experiences presented in the films will help audiences develop a more nuanced view of transgender life. “Once you realize, ‘Oh, this is my cousin;’ ‘This is my neighbor;’ ‘This is someone who serves alongside me;’ ‘This is someone who sits next to me at worship service;’ ‘Oh, this is me, and I’m not alone;’ that’s a powerful catalyst to understanding.”

Kelly hopes that the series can help create new bonds in the community. “We proudly care for more than 500 transgender patients in our gender affirming care program at Planned Parenthood,” she says. “The robust transgender and non-binary community in our region brings diverse needs and wishes, and yet one thing we hear often is a wish for more social opportunities. What better way to start 2020 than by once again partnering with Cinemapolis and IC’s LGBT Center to increase awareness, empathy, and action around transgender topics while gathering for films and popcorn?”

Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations should contact Luca Maurer at lmaurer@ithaca.edu or (607) 274-7394. We ask that requests for accommodations be made as soon as possible.