ticked-off trannies with knives is a 2010 rape and revenge exploitation film .

the film follows a trio of trans women friends who exact revenge on the men who brutally assault them and murder two of their friends .

the film is split into five chapters , one of which is a missing reel .

ticked-off trannies engendered controversy when it was programmed at the 2010 tribeca film festival .

the gay & lesbian alliance against defamation condemned the film for what it called a negative portrayal of transgender people .

ticked - off trannies with knives

ticked - off trannies with knives is not showing in any theaters in the area .
premiere of
ticked - off trannies with knives
at 2010 tribeca . . .
willam belli , krystal summers and kelexis davenport in “ticked - off trannies with knives . ”
krystal summers attends the premiere of ' ticked - off trannies with knives ' during . . .
willam belli attends the premiere of ' ticked - off trannies with knives ' during the . . .
ticked off trannies with knives should have been better . instead , it constantly battles itself until it implodes .
if you want to answer the questions ,
who starred in the movie ticked - off trannies with knives ?
and
what is the full cast list of ticked - off trannies with knives ?
then this page has got you covered .
looking for movie tickets ? enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing ticked - off trannies with knives near you .
this cast list of who was in ticked - off trannies with knives includes both lead and minor roles . ( 19 items )
although ticked off trannies with knives has to be one of the greatest film titles of all time such a title may be the film’s biggest downfall . people may stave off seeing the film , put off by the title , which is unfortunate because ticked off trannies with knives is a superb exploitation film that does justice to the genre .
ticked - off trannies with knives cast list , listed alphabetically with photos when available . this list of ticked - off trannies with knives actors includes any ticked - off trannies with knives actresses and all other actors from the film . you can view additional information about each ticked - off trannies with knives actor on this list , such as when and where they were born . to find out more about a particular actor or actress , click on their name and you ' ll be taken to page with even more details about their acting career . the cast members of ticked - off trannies with knives have been in many other movies , so use this list as a starting point to find actors or actresses that you may not be familiar with .
filmmaker luna says he will remove exploitative use of hate crime victim’s names from trailer of “ticked off trannies with knives” , but still has more to do .
glaad was recently alerted by community members and allies to a film called ticked - off trannies with knives that will be screened at the upcoming tribeca film festival .
concerned community members have developed a facebook group called
boycott ' ticked - off trannies with knives ' at the tribeca film festival
that you can join at urltoken .
ticked - off trannies with knives ( 2010 ) i heard this was a good movie . movie night . | where the geeks roam | pinterest | horror film , revenge and movie
krystal summers attends the premiere of ' ticked - off trannies with knives ' during the 2010 tribeca film festival at village east cinema on april 23 , 2010 in new york city .
willam belli attends the premiere of ' ticked - off trannies with knives ' during the 2010 tribeca film festival at village east cinema on april 23 , 2010 in new york city .
somewhere deep within “ticked - off trannies with knives” lies a fresh cinematic voice , but it’s buried under so much tarantino wannabe material , all you can hear are a few faint murmurs .
magnet , familes against hate and intl . foundation for gender education will be on radio tonight protesting
ticked off tra # % ies with knives
ticked - off trannies with knives . basically a remake of faster , pussycat ! kill ! kill ! but featuring witty trannies and extreme violence . the tranny banter and ultimately satisfying revenge more than make up for ( intentionally ? ) shoddy production values .
furthermore , the filmmakers have chosen to market ticked - off trannies with knives using a crass trailer that opens with references to the recent murders of angie zapata and jorge mercado , putting their brutal murders on par with the outlandish violence in this film .
as controversy continues over israel luna’s new movie , “ticked - off trannies with knives , ” i was fascinated to find out that another gay filmmaker is playing an instrumental role in launching a new film . . .
earlier , artsbeat reported on a dispute over the film “ticked - off trannies with knives , ” which the gay & lesbian alliance against defamation and others have demanded be removed from the lineup of the tribeca film festival .
israel luna’s controversial revenge comedy ticked - off trannies with knives has made the festival circuit for the past year , and now it reaches an even wider audience : via the showtime cable network . beginning friday . . .
this exploitation film spoof represents a humbling experience for any film reviewer . after all , it hardly matters what opinion is about to be expressed : you’re either going to rush off to see a film called “ticked - off trannies with knives , ” or you’re not .
the problem with reviewing a movie called “ticked - off trannies with knives” is that you’re required to admit publicly that you have actually watched a movie called “ticked - off trannies with knives . ” that’s the kind of damning tidbit that could be stumbled upon and misinterpreted by some future background - checker — a potential employer , for instance , or a vetting body for nobel prize nominees . not to mention the personal implications . my mother could read this review , for gosh sakes .
erica andrews , jenna skyy , willam beli and krystal summers attend the premiere of ' ticked - off trannies with knives ' during the 2010 tribeca film festival at village east cinema on april 23 , 2010 in new york city .
the theatrical premiere of ticked - off trannies with knives was sold out for both midnight shows this weekend at the inwood theatre in dallas , according to writer and director israel luna . here’s his report to instant tea : . . .
for several months , we’ve been lectured about how “tranny” is a bad word in and of itself — so bad , in fact , that israel luna’s film ticked - off trannies with knives should be banned from the tribeca film . . .
i’m please to be one of the few people unconnected to ticked - off trannies with knives who has actually seen the film and thinks it’s good . i’m also proud to say that , unlike some others , i actually believe in . . .
willam beli , krystal summers , israel luna , erica andrews and jenna skyy attend the premiere of ' ticked - off trannies with knives ' during the 2010 tribeca film festival at village east cinema on april 23 , 2010 in new york city .
via facebook the new york times has a report on a protest yesterday outside tribeca cinemas in response to the upcoming festival’s inclusion of gay dallas filmmaker israel luna’s “ticked off trannies with . . .
he may be living in san francisco , but israel luna will always be part of dallas to us . to luna , too , actually it seems . luna — who caused a stir with his revenge fantasy ticked - off trannies with knives last year and has since . . .
transgender advocate and writer ashley love issues a scathing indictment of dallas filmmaker israel luna’s “ticked off tra * * ies with knives” in a piece published by the huffington post yesterday . as arnold . . .
despite protests from a few trans activists , israel luna’s campy exploitation grindhouse film “ticked off tr * nnies with knives” won the two top awards at q cinema , festival director todd camp announced . . . .
we received this video diary from the cast and crew of ticked off tra * * ies with knives on the night of their debut . thought i’d share it . mobile . wihackсайты отзывов о . . .
video archive for the film ticked - off trannies with knives , which has a domestic theatrical release in the year of 2010 . there are currently two videos available for the film , of which one and only one is a trailer , as listed below . happy viewing !
toni miller , gerardo davila , erica andrews , jenna skyy , israel luna , willam belli , krystal summers , tom zembrod , kenny ochao , todd jenkins and whitney blake attend the premiere of ' ticked - off trannies with knives ' during the 2010 tribeca . . .
a group of transgender women are violently beaten by three straight guys and left for dead . after regaining their consciousness , the violated vixens turn deadly divas . with their new found confidence and courage , the ticked - off trannies slice their way to vengeance . an homage to the exploitation / revenge films of the 70 ' s and 80 ' s ,
ticked - off trannies with knives
is loaded with titillating dialog , buckets of blood . . . and extreme violence . - - ( c ) official site
the gay & lesbian alliance against defamation posted an item on its website this morning promoting a protest of israel luna’s “ticked - off tr * nnies with knives” on saturday night during q cinema , fort . . .
he offered two concessions that , he said , were his way of communicating that he cared about the trans community’s concerns : he removed zapata and mercado’s names from the movie trailer , and he replaced the “a” in “trannies” with an asterisk . the official title was then ticked - off tr * nnies with knives .
ticked off trannies with knives helps its audience realise that the exploitation genre is not quite dead . although it may have gone into hibernation several times over the last few decades , here it is alive and kicking and ready to thrill the audience members who are willing to let it do so .
for those so inclined , you’ll be glad to know that israel luna’s mock revenge thriller more than lives up to its title : it features a band of trannies ; they ' re definitely ticked - off ; and they’re well - armed , not only with knives but also with baseball bats and the occasional high - heeled shoe .
in the end , ticked off trannies with knives is one of those movies that ' s not quite as clever or cheeky as it thinks it is . it ' s fun at times , and deeply disturbing at other instances . the actors and actresses all deliver with a kind of gusto that goes from inviting to off - putting , and luna ' s style can best be described as advanced grindhouse point and shoot . there is nothing here to distinguish it from other high concept indie efforts except the casting and the lifestyle choices involved . it ' s refreshing to know that gay - themed material is not simply languishing with its own specialized entertainment space . ticked off trannies with knives should have been better . instead , it constantly battles itself until it implodes .
by marketing ticked - off trannies with knives as a
transploitation
film , by using the word
trannies
( a pejorative term for transgender people ) in the title of the film , by casting transgender women in some roles , and by citing the murders of angie zapata and jorge mercado in the trailer , israel luna has attempted to place his film squarely within a transgender narrative .
the ticked - off trannies debate has been covered by many national and international media outlets , including the new york times , bbc tv , the huffington post , and the drudge report . it’s a classic example of pop culture colliding with political activism — with a north texas twist .
8 north texas trans women tell how they feel about israel luna’s controversial film , and why tammye nash | senior editor [ email protected ] dallas filmmaker israel luna’s latest effort , “ticked - off tr * nnies with knives , ” has . . .
glaad has reached out to writer / director israel luna , the film’s producer and the tribeca film festival , and both have refused to take responsibility for the problematic content and offensive marketing of this film . we urge you to contact the tribeca film festival and call on them to pull ticked - off trannies with knives from their schedule .
toni miller , gerardo davila , erica andrews , jenna skyy , israel luna , willam belli , krystal summers , tom zembrod , kenny ochao , todd jenkins and whitney blake attend the premiere of ' ticked - off trannies with knives ' during the 2010 tribeca film festival at village east cinema on april 23 , 2010 in new york city .
it’s not just a fun experience , there is heart at the core of ticked off trannies with knives , a heart that will strengthen the emotional connection between it and its audience . some may have issues with the morality play a little ( it being arguable that it is a phoney moral ) but in the end the good guys win against the bad guys and , let’s face it , what’s wrong with that ?
once tribeca accepted ticked - off trannies and the movie entered the national spotlight , criticisms from transgender advocates reached a fever pitch . busey and many others around the country had long since contacted glaad to register their disapproval . finally , glaad weighed in .
entertainment abigail breslin aleshia brevard alexandra billings alexis arquette amanda simpson batman calpernia addams candis cayne christian siriano corbin fisher dexter felicity huffman film films flaming creatures i spit on your grave israel luna jack smith jason mattison jr . jazzmun jorge steven lopez mercado kelli busey kill bill killer drag queens on dope krystal daniels meir zarchi movies new york city ( nyc ) project runway puerto rico quentin tarantino rape roger ebert soldier ' s girl the mircale worker ticked - off trannies with knives trannies transamerica transexuals transgender transphobia
their hapless bashers with switchblades , kitchen knives , hammers , and elaborately carved ninja weapons . sweat poured down their faces and mixed with the makeup and the blood in colorful streams .
“i am also happy that we are able to show two other fine films , ‘howl’ and ‘making the boys , ’ before their expected theatrical releases , ” he adds . “i am also ecstatic that out on film agreed to program ‘ticked - off trannies with knives , ’ which , for all its controversy , is a film that we find empowering , and a film a lot of folks like . ”
we are very relieved that laluna entertainment is planning to remove the references to specific trans women that have been murdered from its ' most recent trailer for the film
ticked - off trannies with knives
, a film which was directed and written by israel luna . due to protests from the trans community , laluna entertainment responded to one of their requests , which was not to exploit real life victims of hate crimes .
but don’t worry : a national tour is set to kick off in fall 2019 .
the word “tranimal” is a pun on what these superheroines are — transgender women , individuals who were born male but identify and publicly present themselves as female . and if the line sounds like a cheesy bit of b - movie dialogue , it is — it’s in the script for north texas writer - director israel luna’s movie ticked - off trannies with knives , which filmed on location in fort worth , arlington , and dallas last summer .
just one man with too much fabulous not to share it with the rest of the world .
in the wake of this outcry , glaad and many other transgender advocates ask that tribeca rescind its selection of “ticked - off trannies with knives . ”“negative and stereotyped media portrayals of transgender people hurt the community because americans still need more education on transgender issues , ” said kim person , executive director of transyouth family allies .
the images in this film make a mockery of their lives . i want more for my child and all transgender people . ”
“i got way too big off views / back to the basics , i won’t lose . ”
luna’s dreams have been realized . audiences have been literally cheering their support in sold - out film festival screenings in fort worth , dallas , new york , seattle , philadelphia , and san francisco . ticked - off trannies with knives has become an underground sensation . but the uproar has been fueled in part by some furious opposition to the film — coming not , as one might expect , from the right - wing anti - gay crowd but from a part of the transgender community itself .
luna is now working on an hour - long documentary about transgender women and their complicated experiences , including violence . although he’s thrilled that ticked - off trannies with knives has encountered so much unexpected success , it’s clear he still feels hurt that some members of the lgbt community have vilified him for making what he sees as a movie with a strong pro - trans message . the fact that the transgender women portrayed in the movie are flamboyant , angry , vengeful , and even a little cartoonish is a plus in his mind . he draws comparisons to his own experiences as an ethnic minority with popular culture .
as a crossover attempt by gay writer / director israel luna into the world of direct to dvd schlock , ticked off trannies with knives has its moments . the opening sequence , where we are introduced to the five fabulous ladies who will lead us through this comic nightmare , is brilliant . it highlights the personalities involved without devolving into cartoon or cliche . even better , when the quintet hang out for drinks and dishing , the vibe is electric - and then the plot starts to kick in . frankly , everything that happens with boner and his gang of hate - crime committing hombres is predictable , pointless , and painful to watch . we are never prepared for the juxtaposition in tone : the club material is so fun and boisterous that when we witness favored characters brazenly beaten to death , it really kills the mood . luna tries to revive it with a couple of cinematic in - jokes ( missing reels , unexplained narrative developments ) but it doesn ' t work . ticked off trannies takes a real risk with such a bold back and forth . it ' s a possibility , however , that never pays off .
i’m with luna . fighting hate with hate is what actually changes history . pious passivity is just loser talk .
glaad finds it troubling that the respected tribeca film festival would give a film that sensationalizes anti - transgender violence and misrepresents the lives of transgender women , a platform that affords such great exposure . the tribeca film festival has a history of screening powerful lgbt films , such as the glaad media award - nominated quentin crisp biopic an englishman in new york , and the glaad media award - winning film transamerica , about a transgender woman reconnecting with her son . ticked - off trannies with knives does not meet , and in fact devalues , the standard of excellence established by the festival .
i thought this movie was called
ticked - off grannies with knives
when i bought it . i bought it on title only , i was thinking cool - grandmas going berserk . i realized it was trannies not grannies when i started to play it . this movie is great . a gay themed grindhouse movie that is very well made . it ' s a thriller , a comedy and a revenge movie all in one . a solid 5 star movie . i will put this dvd on my dvd shelf right next to my other grindhouse type movies .
for her part , busey doesn’t regret one moment of the blog and street protests that she and transgender activists across the country have staged . she still believes that the movie’s trailer is proof that ticked - off trannies is harmful to trans people , who have to endure the stares and comments of strangers and an ever - present , implicit threat of violence because of who they are .
luna and miller knew nothing of busey’s past , only that she and other bloggers around the country were relentless in trying to get as many people as possible to denounce ticked - off trannies . the filmmakers consulted with the gay and lesbian alliance against defamation , or glaad — the national gay media watchdog group — on the best ways to court transgender people as a niche audience and how to use inclusive language in the marketing campaign . as far as luna and miller could tell , their relationship with glaad was going well .
somewhere around the late ' 90s , drag kitsch went from agreeable taboo to television mainstay . with noted female
illusionist
rupaul ruling logo with his various impersonator enterprises and the
tran
prefix moving from the once scandalous
vestite
to dating show obvious
sexual
in pop culture commonality , the time seems ripe for a queer - ccentric horror romp where gay humor and genre contrivances go head - to - head . the result ? something called ticked off trannies with knives . while the title is relatively self - explanatory , the film itself is somewhat schizophrenic . on the one hand , it has enough glam girlfriend diva dishing to support such hilarious homo - witticism . on the other hand , the i spit on your grave - like revenge - angle is very nasty indeed , turning everything campy into something quite cruel .
ultimately and perhaps predictably , the efforts by glaad and national transgender activists have only fueled publicity about the film and helped it reach a wider audience . just last month , luna and miller signed a deal with the philadelphia - based breaking glass pictures to distribute ticked - off this fall as a midnight movie at art house theaters around the country and then release it on dvd with extras — including the footage that gibson shot in her home .
israel luna , the director of the film ticked - off trannies with knives , has promised to change the movie ' s trailer to remove references to victims of real - life anti - transgender hate crimes . the movie , which will screen at the tribeca film festival , has come under fire from the gay & lesbian alliance against defamation , who are troubled by its over - the - top title and gory depictions of violence against transgendered women . the director had intended the references to real victims to ground the picture in reality , but admits now that
the association between their brutal stories and the revenge / thriller content of the film in its entirety has been difficult to connect .
[ artsbeat / nyt ]
explore popular and recently added tv series available to stream now with prime video .
the finished script was christened with a title that would make trash auteurs roger corman and jack hill proud — ticked - off trannies with knives . while miller went looking for financing , luna began to approach longtime friends and associates with roles he had written for them . he wanted fort worth set designer , fight coordinator , and actor tom zembrod for the role of boner , the scuzzy bat - wielding hillbilly villain . his friend krystal summers , who performs as a host and showgirl at gay clubs in dallas , was tapped for the lead role of bubbles cliquot , one of the hate - crime survivors . kelexis davenport , a longtime dallas drag performer , would play the “mother hen” character pinky la trimm . and after a series of casting changes , willam belli , a los angeles actor whom luna had met on facebook , drove to texas to play the wisecracking , scene - stealing rachel slurr .
luna ' s motives may be noble - he has stated in interviews that he wanted to shine an irreverent light on all the crimes he sees against transsexuals - but his goal only make matters worse . instead of lingering on the punishment , showing us step by step how our ladies are lured to their horrific fate , he should have included more scenes of sensitivity . when bubbles comes out of her coma , pinky and rachel are there to provide some pointed ( and rather funny ) comfort . elsewhere , empowering words are spoken and supported . but then luna undermines it all again with a last act confrontation that plays right back into the film ' s flawed weaknesses . again , boner and this boys are just cardboard cutouts . giving them almost half of the storyline is antithetical to ticked off trannies with knives ' ideals .
is about a group of trannies - drag queens , transvestites , or transgendered people ; in this movie , its more the first two - who go off on dates with a group of bio - gendered men , only to be drugged , beaten , raped and murdered , leaving one survivor . this survivor and two more of her friends set traps for the rapist - murderers in order to exact bloody revenge . much like
a group of trannies are violently bashed and left for dead . the surviving ladies regain consciousness , confidence , and courage ready to seek out revenge on the ones who attacked them .
i agree with you fakename , john waters did do it better 40 years ago .
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smith was , to the say the least , in a difficult position — he was a board member of q cinema , but busey was also a member of his flock at trinity . she and other trans parishioners had convinced a small coalition of north texas mcc churches to take out a full - page , $ 1 , 800 ad in the dallas voice criticizing ticked - off tr * nnies with knives for its use of the “t” word and its “stereotypical” depiction of transgender women . as panel moderator , smith’s goal was to stand squarely in the middle of the fracas and try to build a bridge between sides .
some girls are simply not to be messed with . and so it is with the fabulous heroines bubbles cliquot , tipper sommore , rachel slurr , and emma grashun . all respect is given to them in pinky la ' trimm ' s nightclub , but when they beome the victims of a psycho guy who just can ' t get over his conflicted desire for bubbles , the bruised - up babes shake it up grand diva style and transform into deadly vixens . an homage to the exploitation films of the ' 70s and ' 80s , ticked - off is a revenge fantasy flick that brews up a concoction of camp , slasher horror , and power - chick flick to create a radical new genre : transploitation ! inspired by the devastating increase in brutal hate crimes against people in the transgender community , writer / director israel luna , along with his dallas - based cast and crew , pour their hearts into creating the atmospheric ' 70s distressed aesthetic that glimmers with each woman ' s distinct brassy groove . loaded with kick - ass bodacious bods ticked - off makes it clear that it takes more than balls to get even .
after the movie wrapped , israel edited it himself over the following six months . if he was lucky , he figured , ticked - off trannies might be accepted by a couple of film festivals around the country and then get sold to dvd . but the game changer came earlier this year when new york’s prestigious tribeca film festival — co - founded by robert de niro — accepted the film as part of its “midnight movie” series . word spread quickly throughout the north texas transgender community , and then the shit hit the worldwide blogosphere .
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booked cigna video project with partnercomm productions . completed filming in dallas , tx april 2014 .
booked privacy pete industrial with partnercomm productions . completed filming in dallas , tx november 2013 .
the newly rechristened ticked - off tr * nnies with knives went on to screen at another festival in seattle and a small horror film festival in san francisco , but no other lgbt festival would touch the film after glaad’s call to action . finally , fort worth’s q cinema decided to give the movie its southwest premiere in june . ( a gay festival in philadelphia later booked it as well . ) q cinema artistic director todd camp has known luna for many years , and q had screened several of the writer - director’s previous movies . camp even made a brief visit to the fort worth warehouse set while the bashing scene was being filmed .
even audiences unfamiliar with crowley’s story of eight gay friends at a birthday party gone - bad are in for a treat , as the documentary effortlessly weave’s crowley’s autobiographical narrative with the play’s development and the energy of pre - stonewall new york . the play’s run from small experimental theater to off - broadway to film is perfectly juxtaposed with the birth of the gay rights movement , as its reception was intrinsic to the revolution that resulted from it .
could you imagine if a film came out called
ticked off fagots with pink pistols
that mocked matthew shepard ' s death , and expressed gay men just want to get married to get tax breaks , but still have sex with multiple partners , and jokingly alluded to gay men being pedophiles ? the whole lgbt community would be up in arms ! we demand the same protections the gay and lesbian community receives ! crumbs are no longer acceptable . we need the gay and lesbian community , who have more access and influence in the media then we do , to stand with glaad and the trans community on this protest and call to action
the heart of this grindhouse - inspired effort remains in a happy place , committing to the screen a new breed of exploitation cinema vixen and , believe me , they ' re packing more than just knives .
he failed to give activists and leaders in the trans community his problematic film prior to this controversy - he knew from many warnings that it would not be well received by many trans people . as a person with many media / entertainment industry contacts , i was able to view the film through an associate . this associate asked i not have their name released , for fear of the
wrath of luna and the ' ticked off ' supporters of his transohobic film” .
with often engrossing dialogue , luna ' s characterization is rich and often times interesting . . .
booked role for american airlines with partnercomm productions . completed filming in dallas , tx may 2014 .
booked role for flu shot project with partnercomm productions . completed in dallas , tx november 2013 .
busey had known luna for a few years and was aware that he was writing a script called ticked - off trannies before it went into production last summer . busey and some others in the transgender community consider the word “tranny” to be an insult . at one point , busey had launched an internet campaign to get the dallas voice to stop the paper’s occasional use of the word in its stories . ( other transgender people have reclaimed the word the way some women , african - americans , and gays and lesbians have embraced hateful slurs against them as streetwise badges of honor . )
“i wasn’t there to condemn the film , ” said smith , who also declined to see it as a gesture of solidarity with the protesters . “i was there to stand with members of the local transgender community who had problems with the film and wanted to voice their concerns about it . ”
glaad hopes that an institution as respected as the tribeca film festival would be concerned about how this film trivializes violence against transgender people , concerns that the filmmaker has repeatedly shrugged off .
to send an email with suggested text to the tribeca film festival contacts above , go to urltoken .
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oddly enough , busey has never seen the movie she’s so vehemently opposed to . on at least two occasions , israel asked her to watch the film and give him her opinions — good , bad , or indifferent . she declined . many people have asked her how she can passionately advocate , on the web and on the streets , against a film she’s never seen . busey explains by describing some dark experiences from her own life and how they directly related to ticked - off trannies ’ controversial trailer . in the past , she said , two people brutalized her because of her trans status — a stranger who attacked her on the street one night and a man with whom she fell into a destructive relationship .
in the worldwide blogosphere , “i was called a misogynist and a trans - basher [ for showing the film ] , ” said camp . “like a lot of gay and lesbian people , it’s hard for me to wrap my head around what the transgender community goes through . it’s not my experience . but i just don’t believe that ticked - off tr * nnies promotes violence against trans people . at worst , it delivers the message , ‘don’t fuck with a trans person , or you might get killed . ’
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still she requested a closed set for the scene in which zembrod , as the crazed trans - basher boner , menaces her with a baseball bat festooned with a clump of bloody hair from his last victim . he stands over her with a twisted grin and taunts her : “why do you go around dressed up like a girl , man ? ”
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and the controversial “a” is back — for both the midnight movie and dvd releases , “tr * nnies” has become “trannies” again . one of the major promotional points being considered for both campaigns is : “the movie that glaad didn’t want you to see . ”
right from the start , “trannies” announces itself as a shameless “grindhouse” rip - off , complete with retro credit fonts and faux print damage ( which never convinces , considering the movie was shot on video and not once looks like film ) ; later , we’re even tossed the ol’ “missing reel” gag . eager to reveal its “kill bill” tendencies as well , the story is broken into titled chapters and eventually focuses on a woman waking from a coma and seeking revenge on those who left her for dead . oh , and one scene finds the camera gliding in circles around its cast as they banter about sex .
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a newlywed couple are passing through a vacation resort . their paths cross with a mysterious , strikingly beautiful countess and her aide .
gay dallas filmmaker israel luna is sick of reading about lgbt bashing victims . so he made a film about several of them who eschew the victim card — and fight back . because he’s worked closely with the local trans community , he cast actual transwomen as his leads . and because he’s a fan of horror , he gave them knives and a revenge story that’s as over - the - top as its name ,
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“i kept hearing lgbt leaders saying we should fight hate with love , that we should educate our attackers , ” he said . “and my first thought was , ‘hell , no . i don’t want to have tea with these people . ’ i have a lot of transgender friends . so i decided to write a movie with a twist , one where the transgender women fight back and are just as brutal as their attackers . ”
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israel luna first became interested in filmmaking at age five while watching a horror movie with his family at the local drive - in . his feature films include
also , the “trans people should stand up by ourselves ! ” line sounds very noble , but i think it would be downright dangerous in practice . i do think that there should be more exclusively trans marches , fundraising and lobbying organizations , and so on . we need to show that we’re not just a footnote to lgb folks . at the same time , cutting ourselves off from the lgb community would be damned near suicidal ! it would be better , i think , to raise our profile both within and without the lgb community , not to cut ourselves off from it .
cw news channel wpix offers up today’s case study in how not to cover lgbt issues in a piece titled “tranny teens terrorizing downtown girls” . while the author steve bogart gets big points for his ability to alliterate , by every other measure , he comes off like a racist , homophobic bigot . here’s how . bogart writes : “police say a roving pack of transvestite teens has been targeting females living in a tony west village building . according to authorities , the trannys would steal the women’s purses and use their stolen credit cards to buy wigs and new clothes . ” there’s not a single thing right with this paragraph . transvestites are not transsexuals and nobody should be calling them ‘trannies’ and even then , if you’re going to use a derogatory term , you might as well spell it right .
even if i don’t agree with the whole piece , i’m glad to see queerty making an effort to include longer , in - depth pieces in its content .
at a nondescript house in arlington last summer , a showdown of cinematic proportions took place . three women faced off against three men who’d brutally attacked and beaten them earlier . the women wore tight leather jumpsuits , elaborate sequined face makeup , and high - heeled boots . they kicked , punched , and slashed
horrible film ( i say this with a smile on my face ) shot in a 70s grindhouse style with grainy film and bad edits that gives it some charm . the director is obviously a huge tarentino fan . if you liked the grindhouse series by tarentino , the troma films or 70s b movies , this might be for you .
exploding with captivating melodies , genre - splicing resourcefulness , and remarkable cohesion , automata ii exemplifies what makes between the buried and me so skillful , striving , and singular .
after rich businessman paul greco ( popular daytime star jon lindstrom ) retires early , his imperious sister elise ( two - time emmy award ( r ) nominee wendie malick ) tries to get him to settle down with the woman of her choosing . but paul seems more interested in developing his friendship with andy ( chris murrah ) , a charming…
, which works to simultaneously humanize the victims , and actually be a better movie . oh , and i would have to replace roger ebert and gene siskel with glaad .
although probably best appreciated at a midnight showing with a similarly schlock - minded audience , the film is being released on dvd next month , so begin planning your parties now .
zembrod once worked as a performer in live - action stunt shows like batman and lethal weapon for the six flags family of theme parks . he choreographed the fight moves with all three of the heroines , none of whom had previous experience with the knife work and hand - to - hand combat they would have to do in front of luna’s cameras .
“trannies” then becomes a fight between two attitudes : a screwy spoof where star krystal summers develops a hee - larious lisp for no reason versus a ruthless thriller where the mere appearance of the villain ( tom zembrod , delivering a genuinely creepy performance ) is meant to create chills . when the bloody finale arrives , full of creative mutilation so squirm - inducing the makers of the “saw” franchise would be humbled , we’re supposed to cheer along , but it’s tough to get in the mood . we’re too off - balance by the film’s random tonal shifts . what’s supposed to be cathartic and empowering ends up losing track of its sense of fun , wallowing in an ugliness that erases too much of the parody .
because of its positioning as a transgender film , viewers unfamiliar with the lives of transgender women will likely leave this film with the impression that transgender women are ridiculous caricatures of
real women .
it demeans actual transgender women who struggle for acceptance and respect in their day - to - day lives and to be valued for their contributions to our society .
otto is a handsome , sensitive , neo - goth zombie with an identity crisis wandering the streets of the city , until one day he auditions for a zombie film . . .
two easy reads with depths to be plumbed by those who make the effort . after , you can expound on how gay authors are infiltrating and conquering the mainstream on their own terms .
. the bashing left one of the gay men in critical condition in the icu , and a friend of luna’s said , “we don’t need to hate the bashers . a lot of people feel the way they do . we need to sit and talk and understand their mindset . we can’t fight hate with hate . we need to fight hate with understanding and even love . ”
“watching it with an audience is an amazing experience , ” he said . “when the tables are turned , and the women start kicking ass , the audience goes wild rooting for them . ”
beyond gay : the politics of pride ( lmac , 6 : 30 p . m . ) this look at pride festivals around the world gives new context to our own annual celebration . as atlanta has fussed in the past several years with location and date , prides in other countries are plagued with violent protests and stringent legal restrictions . co - presented by atlanta pride . — bo shell
“i saw the trailer with the man [ actor zembrod ] and the baseball bat , ” she said . “if you’ve ever been in a relationship with someone who has total control over you — i mean life - and - death control — you’ll recognize the look he had in his eyes . it made me physically ill . i didn’t think i could make it through the whole movie . ”
the group released a call - to - action statement that read , in part : “because of its position as a transgender film , viewers unfamiliar with the lives of transgender women will likely leave this film with the impression that transgender women are ridiculous caricatures of ‘real women . ’ it demeans actual transgender women who struggle for acceptance and respect in their day - to - day lives … . ”
the blood and the knives , of course , were fake , and this payback sequence was elaborately staged and filmed with six actors . but luna’s tongue - in - cheek homage to exploitation films is serious in one respect : he wanted to create a drive - in movie revenge opus where the kind of people who typically make the news as hate crime victims turn the tables on their oppressors . if he achieved what he was aiming for , movie audiences would enthusiastically applaud the transgender crusaders in the classic tradition of midnight movies . think of it as dirty harry — or maybe dirty harriet — meets the rocky horror picture show .
i’m going with romeo . we will continue to be victims if we allow . most gay bashers to so because they don’t ecpect us to fight back just curl up in a ball and take it .
after the movie was shot and luna had an edited version he liked , he created a trailer for the film and put it on the internet . if the “t” word in the title wasn’t enough to piss off many transgender bloggers , israel’s decision to use the names of real - life trans - murder victims in a dedication at the beginning of the trailer really stoked outrage . he invoked angie zapata , who was beaten to death with a fire extinguisher in colorado in 2008 , and jorge mercado , who was stabbed , burned , and decapitated in puerto rico in 2009 .
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keegan dark returns to the the heart of california ' s wine valley to make peace with his long - estranged family . instead , he finds a harrowing mystery that endangers his life and those he loves .
if you ' re interested enough in the film’s plot to still be reading , it concerns the piquantly named bubbles cliquot ( krystal summers ) , who performs at a downtown nightclub along with her fellow transgender clique . unfortunately , one evening bubbles has a fling with the wrong guy , boner ( thomas zembrod ) , who doesn’t take kindly to the fact that his latest conquest could well be called by the same name .
anyway , this film , written — not much effort there — and directed by israel luna , calls itself an exploitation thriller and seeks to parody bad horror films , bad blaxploitation films , bad martial - arts films , maybe even bad baseball films ( a baseball bat being just as important to the story as the knives of the title ) . it’s difficult to judge something that’s trying to mock something inept ; is its own ineptness sheer genius or just ineptness ?
a second rate film crew is shooting the third in a trilogy of tasteless ( yet cheesy ) horror flicks called fright flick . the schmuck - of - a - director can ' t keep his hands off the lead actress , the producer never gets his due credit , the supporting actress knows that she should be the lead , and the crew has secrets of their own . competition . . .
the adonis factor ( lmac , 4 p . m . ) following his last documentary , “the butch factor , ” director chris hines explores gay male body image . followed by q & a with director chris hines .
removed from luna’s tarantino cover band tics ( which fade as the film progresses ) , “trannies” is a crude but occasionally effective revenge fantasy . the filmmaker shows a solid grasp of the genre , especially in a lengthy finale that mixes brutal unease and self - aware dark humor , while the cast – consisting mostly of transgender women and drag queens – is given free rein in terms of smart - assed bitchiness , which lends the film a likeability often missing in such exploitation fare .
the film was shot in 19 days plus one continuous 27 - hour stretch . the grueling “trans - bashing” sequence was filmed between 7 p . m . and 7 a . m . in a warehouse just north of downtown fort worth . in the scene , summers , belli , and davenport ( as well as co - stars erica andrews and jenna skyy ) encounter zembrod and his henchmen , who savagely attack the women . the characters played by andrews and skyy are killed . with film lights running and air conditioning turned off due to the demands of sound recording , the cast and crew were drenched in sweat most of the time .


gulabi gang is a 2012 norwegian-indian – danish co-production documentary written and directed by nishtha jain and co-written and produced by torstein grude at piraya film .

it released nationwide in india on 21 february 2014 .

the film has received the best film on social issues , and the best non-feature film editing at the 61st national film awards .

gulabi gang ( film )

a special film event with nishtha jain who will screen her award winning documentary film gulabi gang , followed by a discussion with the film maker .
a special film event with nishtha jain who will screen her award winning documentary gulabi gang , followed by a discussion with the film maker .
2015 gulabi gang public liberty and human rights award , aljazeera . quatar 2013 gulabi gang amnesty international award best human rights award , south africa 2013 gulabi gang amnesty international award , warzawa poland 2012 gulabi gang norwegian golden chair award 2012 gulabi gang best film muhr asian / african dubia int film 2006 derby queen filmmakers international screenwriting awards finalist 2003 whipsmart best educational video cinekink nyc 2000 red rain honorable mention , eveo international film competition 2000 red rain rockefeller foundation , nominee 2000 launderland oakland creative arts fellowshi p 1998 red rain film arts foundations 1998 red rain pioneer film foundation 1991 supreme concrete jungle jury award , new york exposition of film and video
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9th dubai international film festival 2012 - best film , muhr asiaafrica documentary section .
international premiere : idfa , amsterdam , 2012 opening film : dok . fest muenchen , 2013 opening film : documentary section , kortfilmfestivalen , grimstad , norway 2012 opening film : our lives to live international film festival , iawrt , new delhi opening film : pune women’s film festival 2013 opening film : doc @ everest , bangalore 2014 opening film : reality check , ncpa , mumbai 2014
“i’ve spent three years showing this film ( gulabi gang ) around to distributors . the distribution system has no interest in promoting films that highlight social issues , ” says jain .
i doubt you will see a more important film this year . gulabi gang is an ideology , a searing exercise in awareness , which is why you must make this your mandatory watch this weekend .
but even once the film is made , it is an uphill struggle to sell the film to an indian audience .
“the canard that documentaries are the spinach of the film world – good for you , but not fun – crumbles in the face of gulabi gang . the film is genuinely entertaining , shot through with wry humour and an unblinkered view of life in rural india . ” time out delhi
based around the banda district in up , the film follows a vigilante gang of rural women armed with lathis and dressed in pink saris .
sohum shah presents nishtha jain ' s multiple award winning documentary gulabi gang . the film is being theatrically released in india by pvr director ' s rare on 21st february , 2014 . connect with us at : urltoken urltoken subscribe to recyclewala labs : urltoken
in a country swaddled in conservatism and regressive patriarchy , pal is an inspiring figure and jain ' s gulabi gang is testament to this . some ridicule the women in pink saris . many of the gang members are , for all their fandom for pal , intensely conservative themselves , which is evident from how they keep their faces covered . but there ' s no mistaking the anger that the gulabi gang feels at violence being inflicted upon other women .
the norwegian short film festival 2012 - opening film , documentary competition , and winner of the golden chair for best documentary . ( world premiere )
this is the premise for the film , writers ( ‘sulemani keeda’ in hindi ) , directed by amit v masurkar , who was at the zurich film festival for the film’s german - language region premiere . the film’s premise is a familiar real - life story for today’s talented indian indie filmmakers .
women , the poor - i see all the oppressed people as dalit
is how sampat pal views things . in 2006 she founded the gulabi gang to unite women and to change people’s attitudes within the patriarchal indian society . gulabi means pink . the women wear pink saris , carry long bamboo staffs and radically challenge the beliefs of the obedient indian women who accept everything silently . 150 , 000 women have already joined the gulabi gang . nishtha jain’s impressive film shows the strength and dignity with which these defiant indian women successfully fight against masculine violence and oppression . andrea naica - loebell
in india , it is the film distributors who decide how big an audience a film can reach . once a film is made it is up to distributors to pick it up and ensure it is shown in as many theatres as possible .
join us and cinema politica at the bloor for the toronto premiere of gulabi gang , an impeccably shot film that follows a group of fearless women who fight gender violence in india with great ferocity . entry by donation . director nishtha jain will be in attendance for a post - screening discussion !
sampat pal devi has been profiled in two documentaries : kim longinotto ’s 2010 pink saris and nishtha jain ’s award - winning 2012 film gulabi gang . this is no arty festival film — where gulaab gang succeeds is in its total embrace of the bollywood style , with all its music and deliberate artifice . the characters here sing and dance , and the ones who die go out in a blaze of bright red fake blood . it wouldn’t be as exciting any other way .
gulabi gang is a documentary that you should watch with google at hand . it ' s not comprehensive because jain doesn ' t delve into either pal ' s own history or the beginnings of gulabi gang . neither does it provide a particularly in - depth understand of bundelkhand ' s social hierarchies . the villages in the documentary could have been in any part of north or central india . but gulabi gang does an offer a glimpse into why pal , with her ego and her confidence , is such a hero to those who commit to the pink sari : she ' s one of the few women who are committed to fighting for other women and the oppressed .
production company piraya film . co - production : raintree films and final cut for real
our lives to live international film festival , india , 2012 . ( indian premiere )
in bundelkhand , india , a revolution is in the making among the poorest of the poor , as the fiery women of the gulabi gang empower themselves and take up the fight against gender violence , caste oppression and widespread corruption .
nishtha jain is an award winning filmmaker based in mumbai . ms jain will be in the us for the screening of gulabi gang in new york city at the new york india film festival on saturday may 10 th . she will be coming to woodstock for a screening of her film at woodstock artists association and museum on sunday may 11 th . the screening will be followed by q & a and discussion .
ideally , filmmakers would be able to make films about genders not their own without there being any issues , and without reading the credits this isn ' t necessarily something that would occur to people watching the movie , but at this particular point in the development of both society and cinema it would be nice if a film like
gulaab gang
were made by a woman , as were the two previous films about the gulabi gang .
in bundelkhand , india , a revolution is in the making among the poorest of the poor , as sampat pal and the fiery women of her gulabi gang empower themselves and take up the fight against gender violence , caste oppression and widespread corruption .
the gang encounters resistance everywhere – whole villages connive in protecting the perpetrators of violence . as the film pulls us into the centre of these blazing conflicts , it uncovers a complex story , disturbing yet heartening .
“documentary film gulabi gang , supported by “ship of theseus” actor sohum shah , has received critical appreciation , a rare feat for a documentary in india . says sohum , “i found the film extremely engaging . there is humour in it and the twists and turns of the narrative kept me hooked . i took on the project to bring the story of sampat pal devi to light and i am glad that my efforts have been appreciated . ” – times of india
at different points in the film , it seems many of the women in gulabi gang are ready to fight injustice as long as it doesn ' t show up in their own families and lives . when it does , as in one member named husna jahan ' s case , then the pro - woman and pro - victim principles are abandoned . when jahan ' s brother kills their sister for marrying a man of her own choosing , jahan sides with her brother . this is their way , she tells jain and pal . family and society are more important than a socio - political movement . this is particularly ironic because earlier in the film , jahan is shown actively campaigning for gulabi gang . it is to jain ' s credit that she ' s able to capture jahan ' s contradictory convictions . jahan ' s commitment to gulabi gang is as solid as is her loyalty towards her brother . when she has to choose between the two , however , she picks her family .
a whole village connives in protecting the perpetrators of violence , aided by those in power . everywhere , the gang encounters resistance to its notions of gender equality and efforts for social change . the film pulls us into the centre of all these blazing conflicts : we are moved by the womens courage and determination , while their frustrations and disappointments mirror our own . as it travels with them through the dusty and desolate landscape , gulabi gang uncovers a complex story , disturbing yet heartening .
urltoken is a website devoted to providing authentic bollywood news , box - office reports and film reviews .
sales / distribution international sales and norwegian distribution : kudos family . festival distribution : the norwegian film institute
collecting enough funds to make even a low budget film is the first hurdle they need to overcome .
nishtha jain was born in new delhi , india . she studied film direction at the film and television institute of india , pune . since 2002 she’s been working as an independent filmmaker and is currently based in mumbai . her films have received several international awards and have been extensively shown in international film festivals and art / photo exhibitions . her 2008 film lakshmi and me was nominated for the silver wolf award , idfa , amsterdam and won award for the best documentary , at flahertiana international film festival , russia ; bucharest international film festival ; new york indian film festival ; idpa , india ; special jury prize at cinema verite international film festival , tehran and golden apricot international film festival , yerevan ; jury special mention , doc planete review , warsaw . filmography ( direction ) family album , 2010 at my doorstep , 2009 lakshmi and me , 2008 six yards to democracy , 2006 call it slut , 2006 city of photos , 2005
two wannabe screenwriters dulal and mainak dream of making it big in bollywood , india’s hindi film industry based in mumbai . they desperately try to pitch their concept to film producers without much success . eventually they stumble upon the son of a film tycoon who commissions them to write a screenplay but there are strings attached .
masurkar also thinks that new distribution platforms alone are not enough to break the distribution stranglehold . “if people have to pay money to watch a film online they need to know about the film . the film has to be recommended by their peer group or they need to have read the reviews , ” he adds .
this impeccably shot film follows a group of fearless women who fight gender violence in india with great ferocity .
company shows how the hindi film industry went into trouble after violent split between chandu and mallik . another interview of chotta shakeel which was given to the times of india describes the intense circumstance inside the mumbai film industry due to gang disputes . it appears that depiction of a dispute in company — where fictional film star naved khan falls between mallik ' s and chandu ' s disputing gangs and becomes immensely confused — is a reference to a notable interview when chotta shakeel almost leaves a clarification of underworld ' s finance in indian film industry . [ 13 ]
directed by filmmaker nishtha jain , this is a documentary - not to be confused with the upcoming gulaab gang starring madhuri dixit .
61st national film awards winners - fandry , ship of theseus , jolly llb | and more . . . news
“distributors have become gatekeepers of the indian film industry by deciding what people should be watching , ” says sailesh .
desolation , dust and despair . and yet it is hope that this film discovers , as it follows the gulabi gang , an unusual group of rural women . led by the energetic and charismatic sampat pal , they travel long distances to fight for the rights of women and dalits . they encounter resistance , apathy and corruption , even ridicule . sometimes whole villages connive against them to protect the perpetrators of violence . the film pulls us into the centre of these blazing conflicts and uncovers a complex story , disturbing yet heartening .
back in 2006 , pal began a women ' s collective that took the law into its own hands . it came to be known as gulabi gang because all the members wore pink saris and carried pink lathis . if a woman or her parents complained to the gulabi gang that a woman was being mistreated , the ladies in their uniform of pink saris and wielding pink lathis attacked the accused . they became well known in the bundelkhand area . by the time jain and her camera started following pal around , she was famous and revered . gulabi gang had grown to a sizeable number and had ' branches ' in different villages , each headed up by a
commander
.
long live sampat pal
is a chant that ' s heard repeatedly in jain ' s documentary and it ' s testament to both pal ' s popularity and the faith that is placed in her ability to set things right .
but there is no doubt that a bollywood blockbuster can destroy the prospects of an indie film at the box office . “even if an indie film is doing well , a big studio film release could wipe out all the other films that are showing in the cinema theatre that week , ” admits masurkar . “the only way to beat bollywood is to make a good film and hope that the first audience like it and spread the news by word of mouth . ”
synopsis enter the badlands of bundelkhand in central india and you have entered a place of desolation , dust and despair . this film follows the gulabi gang , an unusual group of rural women led by the energetic and charismatic sampat pal . they travel long distances to fight for the rights of women and dalits . often they encounter resistance , apathy and corruption , even ridicule . sometimes whole villages connive against them to protect the perpetrators of violence . while we see gulabi gang members struggling against gender violence and state corruption , we also see the flip side – members getting intoxicated by the trappings of their new found power . breaking away from the deep - rooted patriarchal structure is a challenge even for the most fearless amongst them . the film pulls us into the centre of these blazing conflicts and uncovers a complex story about the nature of power itself .
jain carries me with her daunting journey that i will hold on to for many years probably . the instances were revolting , the tall talks about women’s morality – a sham and the despite the distressing situations – gulabi gang is a ray of hope , brimming with optimism to change the stringent attitudes with galvanizing ferociousness . i am going with a 3 . 5 / 5 and a big thumbs up to the gulabi ladies . this movie made a part of your movement in spirit !
torstein grude is a painter , director , cinematographer and producer and one of the initiators of the independent production company piraya film as . he received a degree in media theory and film history from the university of bergen in 1994 , then enrolled at the london international film school , where he finished his last year of training in 1997 . grude ' s
“a deeply affecting work that reminds us of the vulnerability of women in rural india , and shines a light on the efforts of this group to protect , educate , and empower their gender against cruel husbands , corrupt politicians , and an orthodox , regressive mindset . the film , which i strongly recommend that you watch , is a testament to their courageous work and the difference they have made . ” rajeev masand’s review of gulabi gang : urltoken
gulaab gang
is a film advocating education for girls and autonomy for women , made by a first - time director who faced enormous obstacles in getting it made . that thumbnail version makes it almost impossible to root against the film , although some of soumik sen ' s obstacles were of his own creation . his claims that the film is fiction and that any resemblance to real people is coincidental strain credibility to the breaking point , as the pink saris worn by the title gang are the very ones worn by the real - life gulabi gang , whose name sen didn ' t even bother to change , and upon whose founder sen ' s protagonist is heavily based . this led to legal disputes that threatened to delay release of the movie . all of this is meant not to reignite the debates about poetic license in fictional films drawn from real life , but to make the point that
gulaab gang
is a movie whose director needs to get out of its way . which is a wildly delicious bit of irony , considering that it ' s about women taking charge of their own lives , and that sen is a man .
an example of parallel cinema , company received critical acclaim at the austin film festival , new york asian film festival , and the fribourg international film festival . [ 1 ] [ 2 ] british director danny boyle cited the trilogy as influences on his academy award - winning film slumdog millionaire ( 2008 ) , for their
slick , often mesmerizing portrayals of the mumbai underworld
, their display of
brutality and urban violence
, and their gritty realism . [ 3 ] [ 4 ] [ 5 ]
enter the badlands of bundelkhand in central india and you have entered a place of desolation , dust and despair . and yet it is hope that this film discovers , as it follows the gulabi gang , an unusual group of rural women . led by the energetic and charismatic sampat pal , they travel long distances to fight for the rights of women and dalits . they encounter resistance , apathy and corruption , even ridicule . sometimes whole villages connive against them to protect the perpetrators of violence . the film pulls us into the centre of these blazing conflicts and uncovers a complex story , disturbing yet heartening .
as producer sohum shah rightly pointed out , documentaries usually don’t have the engaging quality that commercial cinema flaunts . however , filmmaker nishtha jain does conjure up one thrilling film with innumerable nail biting moments and many more emotional ones . considering gulabi gang is a documentary based on the life of leader , sampat pal , the woman’s charisma is unbeatable . the documentary is equally appalling as daunting . sampat pal isn’t any ordinary woman and tracing her life journey is quite a heavy task .
“director nishtha jain offers us a front row seat to india’s heart of darkness . here a girl can be married at 11 and burned to death at 15 . women , even those strong enough to be part of the gulabi gang , support honor killings . the parents of murdered girls shrug , take money in exchange for silence and life goes on . except that sampat pal makes sure that it doesn’t . the gang comprises women vigilantes who wear pink saris and wield sticks . they find strength in numbers and fight against abusive husbands , corrupt politicians and police . we are told the gang has 150 , 000 members . sampat pal is remarkable for her strength and courage but jain also captures the contradictions in this revolution . pal has power . people touch her feet . she can get things done – in places , she seems like a don . what she has wrought is incredible and inspiring . gulabi gang is a fascinating portrait of the power of one . ” from anupama – the front row :
synopsis – enter the badlands of bundelkhand in central india and you have entered a place of desolation , dust and despair . and yet it is hope that this film discovers , as it follows the gulabi gang , an unusual group of rural women . led by the energetic and charismatic sampat pal , they travel long distances to fight for the rights of women and dalits . they encounter resistance , apathy and corruption , even ridicule . sometimes whole villages connive against them to protect the perpetrators of violence . the film pulls us into the centre of these blazing conflicts and uncovers a complex story , disturbing yet heartening .
for many in gulabi gang , feminism and pro - woman stances are an elaborate and satisfying performance . jain is able to point this out with eloquent subtlety in her documentary . women like jahan accuse others of the weakness that they themselves exhibit when their own family members are implicated in violence against women . the sense of gulabi gang ' s public campaigns being a performance is perhaps most evident in the scenes where members are seen practicing combat using lathis . there ' s no gusto as the sticks strike . instead the moves are lackadaisical , as though the two ' fighting ' women are dancing a lacklustre garba . yet when the same women speak at meetings , their words are fiery and heartfelt .
the film highlights the economics behind running an indian mafia organization . in the opening , ajay devgan describes the modus operandi of underworld :
” the film is genuinely entertaining , shot through with wry humour and an unblinkered view of life in rural india . ” time out delhi
while in the desolate and dusty badlands of bundelkhand in central india , an unusual group of rural women referred to as the gulabi gang offer a sign of hope . led by the charismatic sampat pal , these women travel long distances to fight for the rights of women and dalits . along the way , they encounter resistance , apathy , corruption , and even ridicule .
enter the badlands of bundelkhand in central india and you have entered a place of desolation , dust and despair . and yet it is hope that we discover as we follow the pink sari - clad women of gulabi gang . these women travel long distances by cart and tractor , bus and train , to wrest justice for women and dalits , undeterred by sneering policemen and condescending bureaucrats .
in kim longinotto ' s documentary pink saris , about sampat pal and her all - woman vigilante posse called gulabi gang , pal says to a young woman ,
if you ' re shy , you die .
the sampat pal in nishtha jain ' s gulabi gang is older , more measured and diplomatic . she knows she has to negotiate her way through an intensely conservative bundelkhand , tempering her anger with smiles and understanding nods . in longinotto ' s documentary , pal is a legend in the making , a woman working her way towards becoming an icon . in jain ' s documentary , which was shot a few years later , pal ' s become a hero , one whom villagers call in times of crises , and a potent mix of sleuth and saviour .
“even though we managed on an extremely low budget without any star actors , towards the end of the filmmaking process we did not have any money to finish the film . it cost us more to do post - production than to make the entire film , ” masurkar tells swissinfo . ch .
jain ' s documentary suggests that pal is bringing change to bundelkhand , albeit very tentatively and delicately . by the time we see pal in this documentary , she is less eager to follow the vigilante ' s path and instead urges victims ' families to use the law to their advantage and for justice . pal also encourages members of the gulabi gang to stand for local elections , which is perhaps the ultimate sign of gulabi gang becoming part of the system rather than countering it . it ' s heartening that some of the pink - clad candidates win . but it ' s telling that at least one of the winners that jain shows is illiterate ( despite having a supposedly well - educated husband ) and is more comfortable conforming to the practice of covering her face in public .
the gulabi gang , with a membership of thousands , is active across many districts . suman singh , one of the leaders , has made it her personal mission to send a land - grabbing village chief behind bars , along with his murderous henchmen . but whats to be done when the brother of a fellow activist carriesout an ' honour killing ' ? husna , a longtime member , is forced to choose between family loyalties and all that their fragile movement stands for . the gang is still very new , and many of its members still steeped in conservative values .
documentary film - woodstock artists association ( waam ) | 28 tinker street | woodstock , ny 12498 | 845 . 679 . 2940 | info @ urltoken
gulabi gang documents their struggle , showing the women at recruitment meetings , investigating the death by burning of a young woman and attending to various domestic conflicts . they are fearless , and they won ' t rest until an official investigation is started and the perpetrators are punished . but will they be equally persistent when their own families are involved , or will traditions gain the upper hand after all ?
synopsis : enter the badlands of bundelkhand in central india and you have entered a place of desolation , dust and despair . and yet it is hope that we discover as we follow the pink sari - clad women of gulabi gang . these women travel long distances by cart and tractor , bus and train , to wrest justice for women and dalits , undeterred by sneering policemen and condescending bureaucrats .
the ballad of narayama
is a japanese film of great beauty and elegant artifice , telling a story of startling cruelty . what a space it opens…
nishtha jain worked as an editor in television before joining the film and television institute of india , where she specialized in film direction . since 1998 , she has been making documentaries and shorts , and briefly worked as commissioning editor for a documentary channel . among her special interests are the individual and collective narratives that
sampat became aware of the unfairness of the system at an early age . in 2006 , she founded gulabi gang , an organization run by and for women . it raises the issue of injustice against women and dalits and teaches them how to defend themselves . the group goes from village to village dressed in pink saris and armed with sticks . the organization currently has several thousand members spread over a large area .
i have always maintained that getting preachy doesn’t guarantee popularity but consistent well - intentioned work does . the climax could have been tauter but the build up to where the story ends for me was outrageously fantastic . a gulabi gang member holds on to her views on morality more than the essence of their beliefs is terrible , thereby expressing that it will take a severe tumultuous change individually to witness a shift in mentalities .
two prizes at al jazeera int . film festival 2015 to simon lereng wilmont for his films ' chikara - the sumo wrestlers son ' & ' the fencing champion '
sampat pal devi , india’s real - life feminist activist known for her hot pink saris , unsuccessfully sued to prevent the mar . 7 release of gulaab gang ( pink gang ) , saying the filmmakers did not get her approval . but not to worry — this highly dramatized account keeps its story clearly within the realm of fiction , and writer - director soumik sen has nothing to apologize for .
prevailing audience tastes are a bigger problem for documentary filmmakers who tackle serious subjects and whose films often lack the entertainment value that is critical to the success of a film .
bundelkhand , a region notorious for its rebels - turned - armed bandits , is witnessing a new kind of rebellion with an unusual cast of characters . these are the pink sari - clad women of the gulabi gang , who use words as weapons – demanding their rights , submitting petitions and haranguing corrupt officials . they travel long distances by cart and tractor , bus and train , to wrest justice for women and dalits , undeterred by sneering policemen and condescending bureaucrats .
director – nishtha jain is an independent indian filmmaker . she has directed several films including the critically acclaimed city of photos ( 2005 ) and lakshmi and me ( 2008 ) . she studied film direction at the film and television institute of india , pune . together with smriti nevatia jain , she created an independent documentary outfit raintree films based out of mumbai . her films have received numerous awards and have been extensively shown in international film festivals , broadcast on international tv networks and regularly shown in schools and colleges in india and abroad .
bundelkhand in central india , a region notorious for its rebels - turned - armed bandits , is witnessing a new kind of rebellion with an unusual cast of characters . these are the pink sari - clad women of the gulabi gang , who use words as weapons demanding their rights , submitting petitions and haranguing corrupt officials . they travel long distances by cart and tractor , bus and train , to wrest justice for women and dalits , undeterred by sneering policemen and condescending bureaucrats .
indian independent cinema has a whole section devoted to it at the tenth zurich film festival . despite doing well at international festivals , indie films struggle to attract an audience back home .
human rights , york university – department of film and sexuality studies at york university , and is co - presented with ontario punjabi association ( o . p . a . ) , ryerson indian students’ association ,
ultimately
gulaab gang
is a compelling ninety minute underdog - vs . - the - system action picture that has the misfortune to unfold over the course of two hours and twenty minutes . its lulls never entirely kill it , but it ' s only through the power of madhuri dixit ' s performance in the lead as rajjo and juhi chawla ' s astonishingly villainous turn as the corrupt politician whom rajjo must take down that
gulaab gang
maintains the momentum necessary to power through to the end . it starts promisingly , with a narrated intro concisely setting up rajjo ' s motivations in starting the ashram where she educates girls for free and , when necessary , organizes them into a fighting force . the way rajjo and gang deal with one oily local extortionist bureaucrat is immensely satisfying . but once the main story , involving the ambitious politician ( chawla ) who seeks to co - opt the gang to burnish her own feminist and populist credentials , the pace begins to dip rather badly .
despite the fact that sen takes an unconscionably long time to tell the central story without sufficient subplots or songs ( of which there are only a couple ) , there ' s plenty to like in
gulaab gang
. madhuri dixit is one of the all - time greats and getting to see her work is a delight regardless of the surrounding film ' s quality , but getting to see her wreaking havoc in the kind of wild action sequences usually reserved for the thick - mustached , bare - chested , and male is a particular joy .
gulaab gang
could have stood the addition of at least a half - dozen additional sequences ; in fact , a whole movie of madhuri dixit doing flying spin kicks and carving henchmen in half with scythes would be welcome . although that would deprive the audience of the joys of seeing juhi chawla investing her villain with such melodramatic pathology . all chawla is missing , in her role similarly usually reserved for men in popular film , is a mustache to twirl .
the story revolves around a young man named chandu ( chandarkant nagre ) ( played by vivek oberoi ) joining the world of crime in the mumbai underworld to
make it big
someday . gradually he learns tricks of the trade and increases the gang ' s earnings and profits . this leads to his affinity with malik ( ajay devgan ) who is the leader of the gang . the film features one cold - blooded murder scene wherein malik and chandu kill saeed and his brother anis in the rear seat of the car on a chilling rainy day . thereafter malik goes on a bloody rampage killing all his opponents , to take the reins of underworld in his hands . in this stage , malik says a prominent dialogue
saab ganda hai par dhanda hai ye
( thing are dirty but its business ) .
new delhi : the 61st national awards is going to be announced on wednesday , 16th april 2014 , by the directorate of film festivals . this prestigious honour is awarded to celebrate the best of indian cinema , and many regional and mainstream movies are nominated .
by putting a potboiler spin on his version of her story , and by casting two of india’s best - loved 1980s divas , madhuri dixit and juhi chawla , as ruthless political rivals , sen has whipped up a moving film graced with energy and passion .
“it is the same all over the world , if you have a star you get more eyeballs . but in india there are lots of people who will watch an amir khan [ bollywood star ] film just because it has him in it , ” says masurkar .
“low budget , independent movies have created their own star system . if your film has high - brow actors like irfan khan or nawazuddin siddiqui then your core audience will automatically assume that it will be better than other independent fare out there , ” says producer sailesh .
in one of the instances , sampat was investigating the case of a woman who was charred to death in her kitchen . evidently a murder case , the ease with which it was treated is heartbreaking . tampering with on scene evidence , the lackadaisical approach of the police , the apathy of her own family , it all clubs together to portray a horrifying story . when sampat prods the deceased’s father , a shamefully drunk man says , ” it was the girl’s fate ! ” unfortunately , the girl’s death was a brutal murder and hence cannot be attributed to her fate . the activist and her gulabi gang relentlessly pester the police , take the case to higher authorities and doesn’t give up unless full blown investigation begins .
the social reality in bundelkhand is the rampant atrocities against women , beaten , burnt , gang - raped and killed almost seem like a norm in those circles . for someone city bred and secure all my life , enjoying the normalcy of my existence , it was choking to be a part of the experience pal shares .
the hero worship lavished upon pal seems well - placed when pal helps soondhi register a case against rajrani ' s husband . when she bluntly and logically shreds rajrani ' s in - laws ' contention that girl killed herself , it ' s easy to see why pal is a hero in bundelkhand and that her feisty spirit has inspired the film gulaab gang , which is due to release in a few weeks . and yet , the silences remain and the crimes continue in bundelkhand . for all of pal ' s celebrity stature , she cannot prevent these crimes from taking place and she cannot inspire her followers to hold feminist principles over ties of blood .
2016 instructor summerfuel international students u . c . berkeley , berkeley , ca visual storytelling 2008 - 09 adjunct faculty california state university monterey , intro to documentary 2002 - 09 adjunct faculty san francisco state university digital video intensive , san francisco , ca . classes : producing / marketing documentary film , documentary narrative structure and interview techniques 2005 instructor california state university monterey , creative process in film 2003 instructor california college of arts , oakland , ca , documentary shorts 2001 instructor u . c . berkeley , berkeley ca , documentary portraiture 1999 instructor graduate assistant , california college of arts , oakland , ca , experimental documentary
it’s tremendous fun watching dixit and chawla in their roles ; just as much fun are the performances by tannishtha chatterjee ( brick lane ) , priyanka bose and divya jagdale as rajjo’s enthusiastic supporters . sen has also composed music for the film , and even sung its rousing closing song , “tere jai ho . ”
company received universal critical acclaim . alok kumar of planet bollywood gave the movie 9 . 5 stars out of 10 , saying that
varma has brought his audience yet another innovative and enjoyable film . company should prove to be a sound investment of time and effort for all those involved .
[ 6 ]
taran adarsh of bollywood hungama gave 3 stars out of 5 , saying that
on the whole , company is amongst ramgopal varma ' s finest works . a stylishly narrated tale , the film will win plaudits and reap a rich harvest at the box - office for its hard - hitting content .
[ 9 ]
company is believed to be an almost - true story based on depictions of the d - company split between mumbai crime lords dawood ibrahim and chotta rajan . it ' s said that the recruitment of chandu to aslam ali ' s gang by mallik was almost identical to chotta rajan ' s introduction to dawood after rajan ' s mentor and boss bada rajan died in the early 1980s .
his rival gang leader and colleague under aslam ' s umbrella sharma , who was in a meeting with police inspector rathod , is killed off . inspector rathod , who once tortured and abused chandu in jail in early days , is killed at malik ' s permission . however , both come at loggerheads during the execution of a contract killing . chandu stops the deliberate vehicle crash and falls from malik ' s favor . the contract was from a politician who tries to use malik ' s gang to eliminate a front - runner , a contender for home minister ' s post . the assassination ( a staged truck - car collision ) takes place in spite of chandu ' s emotional misdemeanor since malik , not relaying on chandu anymore , gives direct orders . the rift between chandu and malik widens due to misunderstandings . the commissioner of police , sreenivasan ips ( mohanlal ) uses the rift to bring the mafia under control . chandu and malik end up becoming bitter enemies . after chandu ' s retaliation of the assassination of his lifelong friend of one of lieutenants warsi , two factions of mumbai ' s once most powerful gang ' company ' went to a full - scale war .
the documentary is not typical , the shooting style is brisk and mostly the theme is poignant . the celebration of woman power in such obsolete regional extremes of india that has for years remained devoid of proper literacy and awareness for women’s rights is inspiring . sampat pal and her gang is gutsy , fearless and celebrate womanhood is ways wider than ours . the story and its cinematic translation amazed me .
for choosing this material and these actors to play it , and for the terrific , organic camaraderie of the title gang , soumik sen is to be commended . he shoots interestingly , in the manner of a talented but raw newcomer . but he has a tendency to repeat himself , and there are long stretches of
gulaab gang
where nothing ' s happening at all , and there ' s no reason why the next thing that happens couldn ' t have happened before the preceding ten minutes of wheel - spinning . this can be written off to sen being a rookie director with an as - yet unrefined style . but sen ' s appropriation of a well - known , previously - filmed story , not changing much of anything essential , and presenting it as a fictionalization sits a little weird .
gulabi gang is more about what sampat pal stands for in bundelkhand , rather than an introduction to the group that is on its way to becoming a political party . jain spends no time on pal ' s own story , focussing instead on showing pal ' s importance in present times . for many , including the local police , pal is a troublemaker . to some , like soondhi whose daughter rajrani is killed by at her in - laws ' home , pal embodies hope . while rajrani ' s father and brother are easily convinced to sign documents that state rajrani committed suicide , soondhi wants justice for her daughter . realising the men in the family will not pick a fight with rajrani ' s husband or in - laws , soondhi turns to pal for help . pal doesn ' t just listen to soondhi , she also champions the mother ' s cause and files a case against rajrani ' s husband .
writer : nishtha jain , torstein grude . camera : rakesh haridas , torstein grude . sound : peter schultz , niraj gera , mateen ahmed . editing : arjun gourisaria , nishtha jain , erik andersson . music : peter scartabello . production : piray film as . producer : torstein grude . length : 96 min . international sales : kudos family as .
now , it remains to be seen if cate blanchett was right in suggesting there’s a lucrative market in woman - centric films like this one . gulaab gang certainly deserves a warm reception , and sentimental overseas indian audiences should revel in the chance to spend three hours in the company of two of india’s most graceful , charismatic actresses of a certain age as they battle memorably onscreen . but sen ' s unconventional approach may put off traditional bollywood audiences .
radford ' s style in the movie is an interesting experiment . like chaplin in
modern times ,
he uses passages of dialogue that are not meant to be understood - - nonsense words and phrases , garbled as they are transmitted over big brother ' s primitive tv , and yet listened to no more or less urgently than the messages that say something . the 1954 film version of orwell ' s novel turned it into a cautionary , simplistic science - fiction tale . this version penetrates much more deeply into the novel ' s heart of darkness .
michael radford ' s brilliant film of orwell ' s vision does a good job of finding that line between the
future
world of 1984 and the grim postwar world in which orwell wrote . the movie ' s 1984 is like a year arrived at through a time warp , an alternative reality that looks constructed out of old radio tubes and smashed office furniture . there is not a single prop in this movie that you couldn ' t buy in a junkyard , and yet the visual result is uncanny : orwell ' s hero , winston smith , lives in a world of grim and crushing inhumanity , of bombed factories , bug - infested bedrooms , and citizens desperate for the most simple pleasures .
this story is , of course , well known . 1984 must be one of the most widely read novels of our time . what is remarkable about the movie is how completely it satisfied my feelings about the book ; the movie looks , feels , and almost tastes and smells like orwell ' s bleak and angry vision . john hurt , with his scrawny body and lined and weary face , makes the perfect winston smith ; and richard burton , looking so old and weary in this film that it is little wonder he died soon after finishing it , is the immensely cynical o ' brien , who feels close to people only while he is torturing them . suzanna hamilton is julia , a fierce little war orphan whose rebellion is basically inspired by her hungers .
the role of vilas pandit , the closest aide of malik who appeared to be the consigliere of malik ' s gang , is believed to be a depiction of real - life d - company aide , counselor and dawood ibrahim ' s confidant sharad shetty . after the split between dawood and rajan , shetty was one of very few hindus left in the mainstream d - company . here it can be stated that the fate of shetty was correctly perceived in company . company showed vilas pandit was shot to death by chandu in hong kong when pandit went to chandu ' s place for an unprecedented meeting ; chandu misinterpreted his appearance as an attempted hit . real - life d - company counselor sharad shetty , too , was killed outside a dubai nightclub , by a hit carried out by chotta rajan . ironically this real - life hit was carried out eight months after the release of company which depicted a similar incident in the adopted storyline .
the film opens with smith rewriting history : his task is to change obsolete government documents so that they reflect current reality . he methodically scratches out old headlines , obliterates the photographs of newly made
unpersons ,
and attends mass rallies at which the worship of big brother alternates with numbing reports of the endless world war that is still going on somewhere , involving somebody . into smith ' s world comes a girl , julia , who slips him a note of stunning force . the note says ,
i love you .
smith and julia become revolutionaries by making love , walking in the countryside , and eating strawberry jam . then smith is summoned to the office of o ' brien , a high official of the
inner party ,
who seems to be a revolutionary too , and gives him the banned writings of an enemy of the state .
ziya us - salam of idlebrain gave a
thumbs - up
rating and said ,
watch company for three reasons . varma . mohan lal . vivek oberoi . mohan lal in his maiden hindi film venture , is a class act . as a south indian cop , his accent comes in handy . nothing overboard , everything poised about him . limited dialogues limitless gestures . then watch company for vivek oberoi . a star son of sorts - character artiste suresh oberoi is his father - never once does he give you an impression that he is making his debut here . his gaunt frame , hollow cheek bones and restlessness go well with his role of a new entrant into the underworld who knows no fear , respects no reputations and lives only on some tacit principles .
[ 10 ] in one of the post - release interviews , director ram gopal varma apparently referred to mohanlal as the robert de niro of indian cinema . [ 11 ]
dis is goin to be one hell of a muvi … ” awesome ! ! ! watching it again and again…madhuri is just superb ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! “yes… . only if we get in las vegas urghh . ” dis is y madhuri dixit is ever green . . my all tym fav . . seems like a great muvi is cmin up . . n grt job by juhi chwla too . . guess cmin out of d bubbly avtar to more agressive one madhuriiiiiiiiiiii dixit i love u its awesomeness nice jabardast . . ekdum kadak . . superb . . madhuri … . . bravo… . . 1 : 16 . . ghanta samajthi ! ! wow . powerful ladies of indian cinema 😀 nice to see juhi after such a long time 🙂 waiting for the gang 🙂 superb ! ! ! ! full to jakas juhi clearly dominates madhuri… awesome trailer . oh god ! ! ! getting addicted to this trailer . . amazinggg… cant take off my eyes off madhuriii… juhi is good too… awesomeee…… it will be fun watching 2 legends madhuri and juhi battling it out this is going to be new version of mother india . greaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaatttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt ! ! ! ! looks awesome… . madhuri madhuri… can’t help but just fall in love with you… supppperb mindblowing ! ! ! can’t wait to watch madhuri in such a powerful role 🙂 madhuri… mindblowing ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 🙂 dammit ! this is an awesome trailer ! madhuri you are the best ! ! i’m waiting for the movie ! madhuri you goddess ! damn you’re the best ! nice trailers wow ! looks awesome . just 1 word – wow stunning madhuri………… ! ! awesome ! ! ! juhi is amazing and so is madhuri ! good luck ladies x yes waiting… ! ! ! ! awesome , powerfull movie trailer… madhuri is sooo good…