The Human Rights Watch Film Festival is back again this year! Between May 31st and June 11th, you can go in person to view films in participating NYC theaters or watch online if you are unable to attend in person. Each in-person cinema event will have live discussions with people involved with the film.
One film of particular interest is Into My Name. This is a documentary directed by Niccolò Bassetti with executive producer Elliot Page detailing the lives of trans people living in Italy.
Page worked with GLAAD in the past, and continues to be a fierce advocate for accurate trans inclusion in television and film.
“Not only is Elliot Page a fine actor, he is also an advocate for equality and justice who continues to educate the world about who trans people really are and about why the current barrage of anti-trans bills promoted by fearmongering politicians are so harmful and unnecessary,” Nick Adams, GLAAD’s Director of Transgender Representation, said in 2021.
Furthermore, the film is described as a love letter to Bassetti’s own son who is trans, like the protagonists in the film. It follows four transmasculine friends, Andrea, Leo, Nic, and Raff as they confront and try to make sense of the societal and legal landscape around them in response to their own gender identities. It was well received by critics, with one critic from The Film Verdict saying that “Into My Name stands on its own as a sensitive, humanist portrait of four young F to M trans Italians coming into their own.” With recent attacks in the United State’s legislature against trans youth and adults, it is important for beautiful, meaningful stories about the trans community.
If you are interested in seeing this film and other poignant stories, tickets for the Human Rights Watch Film Festival are on sale now. There are 10 films showing at the festival this year, each of them carrying a touching tale about humanity. This year’s festival might be the best one yet.