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Trinidad
Directed
by
PJ Raval & Jay Hodges
USA / 2008 / 86
minutes
LGBTQ Sidebar
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Screening
Times and Venues:
Upstate Films II
10/03/2008, 2:15PM |
$8 |
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Woodstock Community Center
10/04/2008, 2:00PM |
$8 |
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One wouldn't think of a small town in Colorado like Trinidad as being the sex change capital of the world, but the truth is that it houses the best pre-op, op and post-op facilities (not to mention doctors) that field has to offer. This is the foundation of PJ Raval's and Jay Hodges' new film, which paints three beautiful portraits of transgender women who undergo gender reassignment surgery. "Trinidad" is one of those special documentaries that requires no interest in the topic in order to get involved in the story. Dynamic and heartfelt in their profiles, Raval and Hodges take great care in choosing their subjects and utilize a sweet, yet haunting inquisitive tone that doesn't let itself get bogged down by the issues and manages to let the characters paint the bigger picture of homophobia in the world around them. At times with humor and always with great humanity, the characters of "Trinidad" will find their way into your heart. (Michael Lerman) |
Recently named one of Filmmaker Magazine's 25 new faces of independent film 2006, PJ's films have won awards such as Best Narrative Short at the Chicago Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival, Best Screenplay at the Cinematexas International Film Festival, the Betty Nowlin Award for Excellence in Filmaking, and the Director's Award at the Santa Cruz Film Festival. PJ's short film "Lead Role: Father" was recently nominated for the Golden Reel award at the VC Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival. In 2004 PJ's body of film work screened at the Artists' Television Access (ATA) in San Francisco sponsored by the Alliance of Emerging Creative Artists (AECA), and then again in 2006 as part of the Austin Gay and Lesbian Film Festival's Filmmaker Series.
PJ just completed "Trinidad" a feature documentary that uncovers Trinidad, Colorado's transformation from Wild West outpost to a sex change capital of the world; follows three influential transgender women who may steer the rural ranching Trinidad toward becoming transsexual Mecca. "Trinidad" was a participant in the IFP Market and IFP Rough Cuts Lab and will premiere in competition at the 2008 Los Angeles Film Festival this June.
Currently, PJ is completing a narrative feature script called "Boys without Cars" with screenwriter Gregg Rounds. PJ is also an award-winning cinematographer. His work has been showcased at both Sundance and Cannes and earned him awards such as the ASC Charles B. Lang Jr. Heritage Award as well as the Haskell Wexler Award for Best Cinematography. PJ has been featured in American Cinematographer and recently completed shooting the 2008 Sundance Film Festival Documentary Grand Jury Award Winner "Trouble the Water" produced/directed by "Fahrenheit 911" producers Tia Lessin and Carl Deal. PJ's feature cinematography credits include, the 2006 Independent Spirit Award nominated "Room" the Los Angeles Film Festival Narrative Feature Award winner "Gretchen" and the recently shot "Two Bobs" directed by Tim McCanlies ("Secondhand Lions, "Iron Giant") and produced by Anne Walker ("Dazed and Confused," "A Scanner Darkly"). -Unraval.com |
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Marci Bowers, Laura Ellis, Sabrina Marcus |
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Matt Dentler |
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Matt Dentler, Sara Giustini, Jay Hodges, PJ Raval
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PJ Raval & Jay Hodges |
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PJ Raval |
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Kyle Henry |
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Frank Alexander, Julia Kent, The Cinematic Orchestra |
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Susan Fitz-Simon |
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