Framing Agnes (DVD)
The pseudonymous Agnes was a pioneering transgender woman who participated in
an infamous gender health study conducted at UCLA in the 1960s. Her clever use of the
study to gain access to gender-affirming healthcare led to her status as a fascinating
and celebrated figure in trans history. In this innovative cinematic exercise that blends
fiction and nonfiction, director Chase Joynt (No Ordinary Man) uses Agnes’s story,
along with others unearthed in long-shelved case files, to widen the frame through
which trans history is viewed. Through a collaborative practice of reimagination, an
all-star cast of trans performers, artists, and thinkers – including Angelica Ross (Pose),
Jen Richards (Mrs. Fletcher), and Zackary Drucker (Transparent) – take on vividly
rendered, impeccably vintage reenactments, bringing to life groundbreaking artifacts
of trans history. This collective reclamation breaks down the myth of isolation among
transgender history-makers, breathing new life into a lineage of collaborators and
conspirators who have been forgotten for far too long.
Framing Agnes (19 minutes, 2019 short film by Chase Joynt & Kristen Schilt that was the basis for the feature)
Theatrical trailer
- Chase Joynt - Director
- Chase Joynt - Writer
- Morgan M Page - Writer
- Jules Gill-Peterson - Actor
- Chase Joynt - Actor
- Angelica Ross - Actor
- Jen Richards - Actor
- Zackary Drucker - Actor
- Max Wolf Valerio - Actor
- Silas Howard - Actor
- Stephen Ira - Actor
Reviews
“Meta to the max. Dizzyingly prismatic yet unfailingly lucid in its examination of the many layers of gender, sexual and racial identity.”
“Formally inventive and wonderfully collaborative. A brilliant and enlivening investigation into the role of trans history and the limits of visibility.”
“Richly heady, thoughtful… visually striking. Hosts a fascinating discussion about the transgender experience in a way that simultaneously engages with the past and present.”
“A lineup of trans stars take on vividly rendered, vintage reenactments, bringing to life groundbreaking artifacts of trans healthcare.”
“A vital part of the historical record… uses vintage gender-study interviews as a prism through which to view modern transgender lives.”
“Weaves stories of trans people past and present to complicate understandings of transness, identity, history, and truth.”
Awards
Audience and Innovator Awards (NEXT) – Sundance Film Festival
Official Selection – Outfest Film Festival
Official Selection – Frameline Film Festival
Official Selection – NewFest Pride
For press and publicity inquiries, please email press@kinolorber.com. A selection of press materials for this title may be available for download here.
Videos
Stills
