TRINIDAD uncovers Trinidad, Colorado's transformation from Wild West outpost to “sex change capital of the world,” and follows three influential transgender women who may steer the rural ranching Trinidad toward becoming the “transsexual mecca.” Part observational film and part essay, TRINIDAD presents a fresh, realistic portrayal that will challenge the stereotypes of both transgender people and small town America.
TRINIDAD received two Texas Filmmakers' Production Fund grants, in 2004 & 2006, under its previous title BEST KEPT SECRET.
This sneak preview screening will help raise funds for finishing costs of the documentary in advance of its world premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival in June. Tickets are available only through the Alamo Drafthouse.
About the filmmakers:
PJ Raval
PJ Raval is more recently known as an award-winning filmmaker than he is an ex-scientist, ex-vegetarian, born on tax day.
Recently named one of Filmmaker Magazine's '25 new faces of independent film 2006', PJ's films have won awards such as Best Narrative Short at the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Int'l Film Festival, Best Screenplay at the Cinematexas Int'l Film Festival, the Betty Nowlin Award for Excellence in Filmmaking, and the Director's Award at the Santa Cruz Film Festival. PJ's short film LEAD ROLE: FATHER was recently nominated for the Golden Reel award at the VC Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival and listed as the “programmer’s pick”. In 2004 PJ's body of film work screened at the Artists' Television Access (ATA) in San Francisco sponsored by the Alliance of Emerging Creative Artists (AECA), and then again in 2006 as part of the Austin Gay and Lesbian Film Festival's Filmmaker Series. PJ is currently completing a narrative feature script called “boys without cars” with screenwriter Gregg Rounds.
PJ is also an award-winning cinematographer. His work has been showcased at both Sundance and Cannes and earned him awards such as the ASC Charles B. Lang Jr. Heritage Award as well as the Haskell Wexler Award for Best Cinematography. PJ has been featured in American Cinematographer and recently completed shooting the 2008 Sundance Film Festival Documentary Grand Jury Award Winner TROUBLE THE WATER produced/directed by FAHRENHEIT 9/11 producers Tia Lessin and Carl Deal. PJ's feature cinematography credits include, the 2006 Independent Spirit Award nominated ROOM, the Los Angeles Film Festival Narrative Feature Award winner GRETCHEN, and the recently shot TWO BOBS directed by Tim McCanlies (SECONDHAND LIONS, IRON GIANT) and produced by Anne Walker (DAZED AND CONFUSED, A SCANNER DARKLY).
Jay Hodges
Jay has held many positions in book and magazine publishing, and he is currently a senior editor at Greenleaf Book Group. As developmental director and special programs director at Cinematexas International Short Film Festival, Jay raised funds and produced the music and installation festival sidebars. He also helped raise funding for director Margaret Brown’s documentary BE HERE TO LOVE ME: A FILM ABOUT TOWNES VAN ZANDT (2004) and was production manager on director David Barker’s short SEVEN DAYS (2004). Jay is currently developing FOREVER HOME, a feature-length documentary about prosecutor-turned–animal advocate Nathan Winograd and his No Kill Millenium movement, which focuses on ending the killing of homeless pets in America’s animal shelters.
