Conversion Therapist is a short film that packs a lot of punch. And it will strike you right in solar plexus, knocking the air out of you. Bears Rebecca Fonté takes on a topic out of the headlines and brings to light what is really being considered behind the niceties of titles used to describe what is happening.This is a film needing to be watched by every adult to get a better understanding of what is happening. Remember it is brutal, because, yes, it is brutal what has been happening to people.
I saw Conversion Therapist at the 2019 FilmQuest film festival (website).It was nominated for Best Horror Short, Best Actress (Sara Fletcher), and Best Supporting Actor (Michael Dickson).
Synopsis: A pansexual, polyamorous trio kidnap a 'pray-the-gay-away' evangelical conversion therapist and torture him until he sees the light.
This is part of the inspiration for making Conversion Therapist.
This very passionate film was the outlet for Bears to come out as trans to their friends and family. After the shootings at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Bears was determined to be true to their self and take to the front lines in their own medium, film. Conversion Therapist follows a pansexual, polyamorous trio as they set out to kidnap and convert a 'pray-the-gay-away' preacher, using some of the same methods he used on queer youth, and some that are maybe a little more extreme.
Director Statement
On June 12th, 2016, I woke up to coverage of the Pulse nightclub shooting and felt my heart being ripped out. Even worse, I was due to moderate a Q&A of the Sandy Hook shooting documentary Newtown that night. What world were we living in? In the aftermath of Pulse, I couldn't believe the bigotry of certain "ministers" who did more than hint that they believed the terrorist had done the world a favor. I poured my anger into this script and project.
But I also had started a ticking clock. I realized that I wasn't going to be able to bring this story, with its transgender character, into the world and honestly discuss the story with the actors, crew and audiences without first being honest about myself. When I launched our Kickstarter campaign, I also announced to the world that I was Transgender.
A filmmaker has to realize they are on the front line at festivals, represent these issues as they represent their film, understand what is "in play" with their film and be ready to defend it. For my film, in addition to conversion therapy, I know the discussion will be about my own journey and the character of Salina, on whom the entire plot hinges. The most important thing about making any film is casting—you can't fix that in post. With Conversation Therapist, this was especially important; I refused to cast a non-trans actress. Films and series like Transamerica, The Danish Girl and Transparent have been great for trans-visibility, but the casting of cisgender actors in these roles has been increasingly offensive to the trans community. Transgender actors should be able to tell their own stories. After a 9-month search, I found my star in Evalyn Jake, a young trans woman from Michigan who had never acted before. She is going to be a star if given the chance.
Filmmaker Bio
Bears Rebecca Fonté is a transgender filmmaker, festival programmer, and journalist. They founded Other Worlds Film Festival after two years as the Director of Programming for Austin Film Festival. They also program midnighters for SF Indiefest and consult on festivals around the country. Their short, ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE, was selected for 70 festivals including Fantasia International Film Festival, Dances With Films, Sci-Fi London and Boston SciFi. Other shorts PRENATAL, THE SECRET KEEPER and SMURF #47 played at a combined 80 festivals. Bears Rebecca was a producer on Sundance Jury-Award Winning short THE PROCEDURE and the documentaries CLOSER THAN WE THINK and ARTIST DEPICTION. Their feature thriller iCRIME, which they wrote and directed, was released on DVD by Breaking Glass in 2011. Bears Rebecca serves on the board of the All Genders, Lifestyles, and Identities Film Festival (aGLIFF) in Austin and represents District 6 on the Austin Arts Commission.
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