An intimate take on the life of a transgender woman living in Caracas, Venezuela during the lockdown of 2021. Her name: is Angelica Vitanza, she won Miss World Gay 2021.Her emotional story from boy to girl. Her daily physical transformation. Her thoughts and experiences with hormone intake in a country where there is lots of discrimination, how does she survive? She lost both of her parents but she is lucky enough to have a 'father' in the community who has supported her. Through her struggles, we learn about the current situation that transgender people face in a country where they’re denied rights. We observe the place she works in, witness the performance of different Drag Queens and their attitudes to the pandemic. We also dive into her relationships with men, and her worries about her future and aspirations.
Director Biography - Maria Millan
Maria Millan is a Venezuelan Director, Producer, and Writer based in London. She took part in the Hessen Lab with her screenplay 'The Hollow Women'. The lab was part of an invitation to the B3 Biennale celebrated in Frankfurt, Germany in October 2022.She has been selected for 'Talent Led: Next Gen' by the Independent Film Trust (London, 2022/2023), a mentorship scheme.Maria holds a BA Honours in Communications and Media, with a specialisation in Audio-Visual Arts from the Catholic University Andres Bello in Caracas, Venezuela. She also studied Video Editing techniques at the renowned International Film School in San Antonio de Los Baños in Cuba (EICTV).Her journey in film & TV began in the art department, where she designed sets for TV ads in Caracas. In 2011, she moved to London and started shooting stills for prestigious publications like Vogue Italia, Cosmopolitan, Fruk Magazine, Fuckin' Young, Jute, Eclectic Magazine, and others.She led the Production Design for the film "Chop Chop" (2016) by Christopher Granier-Deferre. Additionally, she produced a TV Series called "Las Aventuras de Sifo Diaz".Maria directed actresses Lujza Richter Hugo (Phantom Thread, Dracula) and Demi Hannah Scott (SHOWstudio) in her film "The Refuge," which became part of the official selection of The Women’s Film Festival in Seattle, US and L’Etrange Film Festival in Paris, France. Millan was honoured with an invitation to have a solo screening and Q&A at David Lynch's Private Members Club: Silencio. "The Refuge" is now available on Amazon and numerous SVOD platforms worldwide.Last October 2022, her 23-minute documentary 'TransCCS,' premiered at the 33rd edition of the Tampa Bay International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival in the US. It was also featured at the 8th BANGIFF - BangkokThai International Film Festival in Thailand, in the 8th edition of The Lonely Seal Film Festival in the Regent Theatre in Boston, US, the 15th edition of the Seattle Latino International Film Festival in the Beacon Cinema and, in the Tokyo International Short Film Festival in Japan 2023.Maria has recently completed her first feature film documentary: 'Family Pride, Queer Aside' which had a private screening at Lakeside School in Seattle the past October 2023. At the same time, Millan participated along with her producer, Matthias Ehrenberg, in the main strand of the Production Finance Market organised by Film London with her screenplay ‘The Hollow Women’.She serves as an inspiring example of resilience and perseverance, using her work to draw attention to the role of women and the LGBTQ+ community within society.
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