Fatales Forward is an innovative fellowship for emerging trans filmmakers working on their debut or sophomore feature films. The program consists of three months of one-on-one mentorship with established trans filmmakers, a virtual Career Advancement Intensive, creative peer workshops, and ongoing artist development support.
Changing the Ratio
With support from the National Endowment for the Arts, Fatales Forward provides a career advancement platform for emerging trans directors and fosters a creative cohort of gender-nonconforming creators. Together we will build community, nurture artistic development, and plant the creative spark for future collaborations.
In the past few years, trans or
non-binary characters have been vastly underrepresented in Hollywood studio movies.
0%
trans characters across 400 feature films from 2017-2020
8%
of regular and recurring characters on television were trans in 2020
trans characters across 400 films from 2017-2020
Participants will be invited to an Online Intensive and will be matched with experienced feature film directors for one-on-one mentorship and peer workshops over the following three months. The program will culminate in an Industry Showcase for a curated community of funders, producers, and other allies. Fellows will receive a participation stipend to use at their discretion. We use the term “trans” in its most inclusive sense to encompass transgender, genderqueer, Indigenous Two-Spirit, non-binary and anyone whose gender identity or gender expression is non-conforming and/or different from their birth-assigned sex. We define “emerging” as anyone who has not yet had the opportunity to direct more than two scripted or unscripted feature length films that have been distributed.
Representation Matters
We believe that a more inclusive and representative film industry is not only a necessity, but a priority. The marginalization of trans filmmakers actively contributes to the erasure and misrepresentation that leads directly to anti-trans violence. By fostering relationships between emerging directors and established filmmakers, Fatales Forward amplifies historically marginalized voices and builds new pathways for trans creators whose stories we need now more than ever.
We are changing the landscape of the film industry, one relationship at a time.
