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About this submission
I wanted to tell a trans story that avoided the tropes of a traditional coming out narrative, instead leaning into the slow burn of alienation and the euphoria of self-actualization. This took the form of a psychological horror film, where coming into yourself is a bloody and terrifying process, filled with sharp teeth and screaming onlookers. Shooting on 16mm film allowed us to emphasize the tactility of our main characters' transformation and create a distinct world separate from reality. For me and my lead actor, this genre-inspired fantasia felt more true to our experience of queerness than any alternative.