A cinematic pairing that provides refreshingly honest perspectives on sex and relationships through a trans masculine lens. It is a rare occurrence to feel seen and understood, hopeful and motivated, deeply grateful for and connected to community, whilst also entertained and aroused, all at once. Opening this session is the short film Dismantle Me (2023, Dir. Max Disgrace). A comical proposition turns into an arousing powerplay when a trans woman helps a heartbroken trans man tidy up his messy bedroom. Next, fresh from Sundance is the award-winning hybrid documentary feature Desire Lines (2024, Dir. Jules Rosskam), a powerful cross generational look at some of the trans masculine community’s struggles and triumphs.
Desire Lines follows Ahmad, an older, Iranian-American trans man, on his exploration of LGBTQ+ archives and subsequently his own sexuality at a gay bathhouse. Woven with archival footage of trans elder and activist Lou Sullivan and recent interviews with gay trans mascs, this film delves into trans masculine experiences of gay sex, dating and hook-up culture, sexual health, men’s spaces and inclusion. Author Sam Elkin (Detachable Penis: A Queer Legal Saga) will host a special community panel speaking to the issues raised within Desire Lines that are reflective of conversations witnessed within our local trans masc community.
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TILDE Film Festival: Three days, seven sessions, twenty-four films, two exhibitions, four filmmakers in conversation panels, two massive community events featuring world, international and Victorian premieres.
We acknowledge that we are on the traditional lands of the Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri peoples of the Kulin Nation. We offer our respect to the Elders of these traditional lands and, through them, to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Elders’ past and present. Sovereignty was never ceded.
We at TILDE understand the weight of responsibility post referendum and the role we play as a cultural festival to ensure we are intentionally collaborating with First Nations storytellers. This act of service is a privilege for the festival to enable.
Our story began in 2014 with a core group of dedicated volunteers who held the festival through to 2021. Covid put a big strain on these volunteers, so the festival hit pause. During that time, a review was done in deep partnership with Footscray Community arts. This was a period of reflection, consideration and focus on the intentions of Tilde moving forward.
2024 sees us return to mark the last decade of TILDE, we are leading this festival with humility and vulnerability fostering an environment of curiosity for the many varied lived experiences of our community. We have curated a program alongside our team of brilliant programmers that hopes to have captured the richness of these many lived lives through the lens of trans and gender diverse storytellers.
Our theme for this year’s festival, “Trans Collectivism” celebrates the strength in collaboration and the importance of not being the singular trans voice at a table. This is reflected throughout our festival, where we will not only be presenting screen works that explore that but facilitating conversation through panel discussions and holding space for the community to connect with each other.
We as TILDE aim to serve our trans and gender diverse community and their loved ones. Our focus is on the margins: those who live, work, and create on the periphery of dominant cultures. Our Vision is to lead in trans and gender diverse screen experience and practice. We want to build the practice and reputation of TILDE so that it is cherished by our community, respected, and sought after by TGD filmmakers, and recognised as a leader in Australia’s creative industries.
We look forward to celebrating 10 years of TILDE with you.
