Trans-Mission

More curators and programmers should follow the flamboyant lead of Tranny Fest, aka the Transgender Film Festival. Tonight’s opening bash eschews the usual sober salute to moving images in favor of a parade of celebratory song and dance performances by the likes of Chan Dynasty, StormMiguel Florez, and Sean Dorsey. Odds are these numbers will set pulses racing straight (well, not exactly) through the weekend. The lights dim — only slightly — for two programs of image-enhancing, soul-affirming, ass-kicking short films on the most beloved of themes: sex and politics. Friday’s collection, “R Is for Revolution,” takes on society’s stubbornly narrow and long-standing definitions of identity with an evocative blend of anger, wit, and suck-on-this defiance. Scoring points is important, of course, but so is scoring. The more playful and juicy aspects of gender reassignment are showcased at length and in depth (metaphorically speaking, of course) in Saturday’s 18-and-older show, “G Is for Glitter.” By acknowledging that the stakes are higher for transgender folks, Tranny Fest gives new meaning to the tossed-off term “serious fun.
Nov. 5-7, 8 p.m., 2009