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“Centering and Amplifying Trans Voices With Elegance and Dignity”: Sam Feder | Disclosure: Trans Lives on Screen

Laverne Cox in Disclosure: Trans Lives on Screen by Sam Feder (courtesy of Sundance Institute)

Whether capturing or creating a world, the objects onscreen tell as much of a story as the people within it. Whether sourced or accidental, insert shot or background detail, what prop or piece of set decoration do you find particularly integral to your film? What story does it tell?

Using a technology that has historically dehumanized trans people, we focused on centering and amplifying trans voices with elegance and dignity. Using an anamorphic lens was integral for this. Historically, films favored an anamorphic format when shooting epic stories or explorations of new frontiers—that’s how we envision transgender liberation. Our aesthetic decisions foreground the characters’ personal styles and appearance. The serene set gives the viewer time to reflect on the multilayered archival footage which all fit within the anamorphic frame.

Sundance Responses 2020

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