From January 17 until February 23 BAMPFA, the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archives, will present "Masc II: Mascs Plus Muchachas," a film festival which will celebrate the culture of masculine assigned female at birth people. The festival's subtitle, "Butch Dykes, Trans Men and Gender Nonconforming Heroes in Cinema" describes what audiences who attend the screenings can expect.
The series is a sequel to last year's wildly successful first Masc series, with both festivals being curated by filmmaker and film historian Jenni Olson. This year there will be seven films that reflect a range of masc experiences, with each film being followed by special guests engaging in post-screening conversations.
Some of the films being shown are classics that were ahead of their time, such as "Vera," a 1986 film which presents one of the earliest portrayals of a trans masculine character in world cinema. This rarely seen Brazilian drama is based on the life of the Brazilian trans poet Anderson Bigode Herzer, who wrote his poetry during the late 1970s and early '80s. Tragically he took his own life at age twenty. This film has been completely unavailable in the USA since it was made almost forty years ago.
"For many of these films I've also been making connections to US distributors to try to facilitate re-releases here, so it will be exciting to see if some of them become available again," Olson said in an interview with the Bay Area Reporter. "There are only two films in the series that have current US distribution, 'Orlando, My Political Biography' and Dee Rees' 'Pariah,' which is a really moving coming-of-age drama about a Black butch teen trying to come out to her parents.
"Our special guest for that post-screening conversation is artist and filmmaker Leila Weefur. Having 'Orlando, My Political Biography' as our opening night film is really exciting. This is trans philosopher Paul Preciado's innovative New Trans Cinema essay film, and we'll have a special talk afterwards with trans archivist Ellis Martin and historian Susan Stryker."
Vintage classics
Also included in the series is "Muchachas de Uniforme," a 1951 Mexican film that doesn't reflect the masculine theme. Olson said she had been searching for it for decades and finally found a way to show it via an archive in Mexico. It's the story of a teenage girl in love with her teacher at a convent school and is a remake of the 1931 German film "Madchen in Uniform," which is considered to be the first lesbian film ever made. Olson said that she couldn't resist the chance to show it.
"It literally has not been seen here since it was released almost 75 years ago," said Olson. "Although it has a tragic ending, as so many older queer films do, it's a terrific adaptation and is cinematically very interesting. It was condemned by the Catholic church at the time, so you know that's a pretty great recommendation. I'll be in conversation afterwards with UC Berkeley professor Juana Maria Rodriguez."
Olson feels that it's very important for queer audiences to see affirming, celebratory, and complex representations of themselves on screen. She noted that the current political landscape for LGBT people is quite dangerous, especially for trans people, who are the main targets of an endless barrage of right-wing fear mongering. The lies and hate being spread by the incoming president and his allies have already resulted in the retraction of basic rights for trans people in half the states across the country.
"To come together as a community and experience the power and joy of seeing ourselves, both onscreen and in the audience, is such a necessary thing, especially at this moment in our history," she said. "For last year's series, almost every screening sold out. I think people are really feeling the need to be together right now."
Olson hopes that people beyond the trans and butch dyke communities will come to the screenings.
"Every single one of these films is compelling not just as representation of butch/trans protagonists, but cinematically, and just as really wonderful stories and performances," she said. "I hope all kinds of people will come out to see them."
'Mascs II: Mascs Plus Muchachas: Butch Dykes, Trans Men, and Gender Nonconforming Heroes in Cinema,' January 17-February 23, Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, 2155 Center Street, Berkeley. $18, with reduced prices for BAMPFA members, students, seniors, etc.
Full schedule: www.bampfa.org
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