Jess and Tom

Synopsis

Title: The Lovers and Fighters Convention
Shooting Format: HDV Video/Amimation
Exhibition Format: Digibeta PAL/NTSC, DVD, DV Tape
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Sound Format: Stereo
Length: Approximately 66 minutes

“I am going to talk to you tonight about what it’s like to use a men’s changing room when you don’t have a penis.” – Words spoken by Jason Barker in The Lovers and Fighters Convention

“You don’t often see a body like mine on a public stage. But hey, I could get laid from this…” – Words spoken by Dr Jane, performer and raconteur in The Lovers and Fighters Convention

The Lovers and Fighters Convention is a feature length documentary, perhaps even a moving image zine about a new chapter in gender and sexual politics. In July of 2004, Queen Elizabeth signed into law in the United Kingdom the Gender Recognition Act. This act gave the right in law to transgender people to change their gender in all legal forms, including birth certificates. For many, they couldn’t even locate themselves in the new boxes, let alone tick them. In London in the wake of the Gender Recognition Act, artists and performers got together to re-imagine what gender could mean in the wake of “the act”. One of the outlets for this discussion was the arts festival Transfabulous.

The Lovers and Fighters Convention is the story of one night at Transfabulous. With animated sequences by writer, performer, transgender campaigner and film-maker in his own right Jason Barker, the film is directed by Royal Television Society Award winner Mike Wyeld. The film was shot multicamera on a single day in summer 2008 at The Transfabulous Arts Festival.

Each of the performers tells their own story, or a version of it, that puts together a picture of modern Britain. With a cast of many, and musical compositions by a variety of Queer composers including Jessica Lauren and Chopin Gard, this film is a true labour of love. The film is accompanied where possible by a zine, crafted by zine artist Ben Gooch.

With the generous help or in-kind support of:

Astrid Osborn
British Film Institute
Dr J. Harrison
Film London
Oxford House, London
Skillset
T-Boys
The Arts Council of England
The National Film and Television School
UK Film Council
VET Digital Media www.vet.co.uk

www.transfabulous.co.uk

www.woteverworld.com

Arts Council of England