The 17th of March I attended the Melbourne premiere of Becoming Colleen with Sasja Sydek.
We had a quick chat and drink with the spokeswoman for the film Sandra Pankhurst and Rowena (Colleens Social Worker), before heading off to see the film.
Ian Thomson who is the mastermind behind the film, created an eye opening film that’s allowed us to have these important conversations about the well being of our LGBT elders.
One would think, what would connect a 82yo Transwoman and someone like me a Transwoman of Colour? … EVERYTHING.
Colleen may have not felt like she was part of our community but her story has highlighted even more the urgency in taking care of our LGBT elders because newsflash, we all get older eventually and if nothing gets done right now, we’ll all be f$&ked.
Ian Thomson said in the Q & A, he was only filming people on where they were with their current mindset.
I will say it wasn’t upto him to correct or educate the subjects. The film showed us how on the outside it may seem we are progressing but on the inside not much has changed.
This only goes to show we still have so much work to do, regarding Education, Awareness and Transvisibility.
I get that there is some parts in the film that is sensitive, controversy and problematic in the Trans community.
And I understand that the filmmaker could’ve done better I get that, but he wasn’t intentionally creating a educational film, it was simply a film about Colleen and where she was at and the people she was surrounded by. You can’t get more real then this. So credit to Ian for filming REALNESS and for not sugar coating anything.
But I do hope that this will inspire or motivate other filmmakers who happen to be trans to create something that will educate the broader community because in a way that is our responsibility.
I was told by Rowena, Colleen’s social worker, that Colleen didn’t even know the term Transgender.
Pic below: Colleen and Rowena.
I understand if some children still refer their Trans mother “father” and vice versa but if they are using the incorrect pronouns, then that is very problematic in our community.
I accept a Father can be a Mother and vice versa but pronouns are so important to a lot of us.
I don’t want to give anything away but Heather, Denise, Rowena, Pippa and her friend at the nursing home, I just needed to mention their names ❤️😘 #unsungheros
I also wondered did Colleen ever meet other Trans folks? And if she didn’t, could that helped her to feel, know, understand that she mattered to us and she Belonged.
I would like to see more films about the Trans community to be produced and feature our own trans community and one person comes to my mind and that’s Sam Matthews!
Sam is an Amazing filmmaker who created Unboxed seen on ABC iview. Unboxed is where she traveled around Australia to explore how gender meets art.
To continue my life the way I intended to be, is to honour people like Colleen who held back for many years, because she put others first before herself. She came from a different era, a world of Loyalty and Respect.
I can’t say too much because you have to watch Becoming Colleen for yourself.
This film despite the controversy or insensitivity or whatever you want to call it, the film is about Colleen who started her transition at 82. This is her story, her pain, her struggle and the people that looked after her.
And it’s definitely a conversation piece and it may get you off your seat and want to slap somebody because there is some very emotional parts in the film.
Miss Katalyna 