Since 2019, the Cleveland International Film Festival has honored LGBTQ+ filmmakers with the DReam Maker Award. Kimberly Reed, a transgender filmmaker known for the documentaries “Dark Money” and “Prodigal Sons”, received the honor on stage this year on Transgender Day of Visibility, March 31.
The award comes with $5,000 to support the honoree’s future works and is named in honor of David K. Ream (1949–2017), a former CIFF trustee.
Reed’s new documentary, “I’m Your Venus,” is currently screening at the festival. The movie follows the biological and ballroom families of performer Venus Xtravaganza, as together they grapple grappling with Venus’ unsolved murder, which occurred during the filming of the 1990 documentary “Paris Is Burning.”
Reed called the award “a big honor” on Trans Day of Visibility. She also expressed appreciation for a Midwest film festival highlighting queer cinema.
“I really appreciate the recognition, given that it is coming in a part of the country where we really need to focus on these issues,” she said.
Reed’s first film, “Prodigal Sons,” was about her experience coming back to her hometown in Montana as a trans woman. It also marked her first experience showing her work at CIFF, back in 2009. She said filmgoers found the film groundbreaking at the time.
Reed called her first film quoting a statistic that suggested every 1 out of 10 people knows someone who is trans. Today, that statistic from Gallup is nearly 3 out of 10.
As the nation has taken steps to bury the history of trans people – like by removing the T in “LGBT” from historical sites – Reed said it feels like “in many ways we’ve taken a step backwards.”
“It’s one thing to avoid amplifying the voices of trans folks,” she said. “It’s quite another to actively erase those voices, to erase that presence.”
Special attention needs to be called to attacks on the queer and trans community, Reed said. But not every trans person should not be expected to be a diplomat of their community. Relaxing and taking care of oneself can be just as important.
”This is a marathon,” she said. “We have to pace ourselves, and we have to take care of ourselves as we do this.”
But those who can share their story, it’s “very powerful.”
“It demystifies us in an atmosphere where there has been so much outright disinformation,” she said.
“That’s why I make films,” she added. “It’s very powerful to have one document that gets shared with a lot of people and – before they know it – they’re looking at the world through the eyes of a queer or trans person.” 🔥
IGNITE ACTION
- Cleveland International Film Festival runs until Saturday, April 4. More information can be found here. Use the discount code “BUCKEYEFLAME” to receive $1 off any film at the festival.
- The Buckeye Flame’s Ohio LGBTQ+ legislation guide for 2025 can be found here.
- If you are a young LGBTQ+ person in crisis, please contact the Trevor Project: 866-4-U-Trevor.
- If you are an transgender adult in need of immediate help, contact the National Trans Lifeline: 877-565-8860.
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