2023 FILMMAKERS
Rey Tang
Emergence
CONTAINS: Language, Drinking
Rey Tang began writing scripts and making short films in the seventh grade, after becoming inspired by Asian-Americans showcasing their videos through YouTube. In high school, while writing, shooting, and editing shorts with friends, Rey won a National Medal from the Scholastic Arts and Writing Competition for her work “Just Another File”. Later, she wrote and directed "Noodles & Incense”, a queer Asian-American short film that played at several festivals including New Filmmakers LA, QWOCMAP, Aladerri International Film Festival, and others. Currently, she is focused on promoting her Northwestern senior thesis "Emergence" and hopes to give transgender students a voice through this narrative short.
Wide Angle Youth Media Video Team
Black Butterfly
CONTAINS: Homophobia, Verbal Abuse from a Parent, Religious Abuse
Youth in Wide Angle Youth Media's Video Team are from communities across Baltimore. They attend schools throughout the city, and come together to create media that addresses issues of concern to them, with the hope of impacting social change.
Rebecca Marquardt
Lane Michael Stanley
Boifriend
CONTAINS: Transphobia, Homophobia, Loss of a Parent
REBECCA MARQUARDT (she/her) is a filmmaker, actor, and musician. She was born and raised in Texas and studied Music at the Cincinnati Conservatory and comedy, writing, and acting in Chicago (Second City, Black Box Academy). She's performed on tiny stages all over Chicago and NYC and toured the country as the host/emcee of Odd Squad, LIVE! Her viral videos have over 2 million views and range from original music videos and covers to live streams and comedy/tutorial videos. Nicki Minaj once called her a "FKNG icon" and she will never shut up about it. Her short screenplay PINSETTER was a semi-finalist in the Slamdance Screenplay Competition in 2022.
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LANE MICHAEL STANLEY (he/they) is a transgender director, playwright, filmmaker, and producer, and the co-founder of Secretly Famous Productions, along with Lowell Blank. Their award-winning debut feature film ADDICT NAMED HAL played at festivals including Austin Film Festival, Santa Barbara International Film Festival, and Dances with Films. Their short film UNTIE played at Outfest, Toronto Short Film Festival, aGLIFF / Prism Film Festival, and more, and their plays have been produced and developed by 19 theaters in 8 states and Australia. They have been a commissioned artist and/or fellow with Lambda Literary, Ground Floor Theatre, Art with Impact, and coLAB Arts and hold an MFA in Directing from the University of Texas at Austin.
Bronwen Pailthorpe
Lu Arie
Hindsight
Loren Fink
The Egg
CONTAINS: Transphobia, Animated Violence, Verbal Abuse from a Parent
Loren Fink is an animation major at the School of Visual Arts in New York. They love telling stories that feature cute monsters, robots, and/or aliens. "I created 'The Egg' based on my experience discovering my nonbinary identity and subsequently having to hide from and deal with unaccepting family members. While gender epiphanies (sadly) don't normally come in the form of friendly monsters, I wanted my film to be relatable to others who faced similar problems as I have, and hopefully carry along the message that everything will be okay."
Sungbin Byun
God's Daughter Dances
CONTAINS: Transphobia, drinking, talk of child abuse, sexual harassment, medical abuse
Born in 1991, Sungbin Byun studied film, TV & multimedia and eastern philosophy at Sungkyunkwan University. His films HORN (2014), THE CHICKEN OF WUZUH (2015), and HANDS AND WINGS (2018) have screened at festivals internationally. His latest work is GOD'S DAUGHTER DANCES (2020).
