John Francis Rizzo, told us his story upon meeting him in Sayville. He is an award-winning filmmaker and photographer, had already made transgender films in the Philippines and Thailand before he turned to Amsterdam to direct his first feature documentary, Trans Rising.
After connecting with a gender psychologist online through LinkedIn, who suggested reaching out to the trans community in Amsterdam, he was able to contact a Trans Amsterdam producer. “He got me connected with 15 friends and the deputy mayor,” said Rizzo. “We worked at the Hyatt Regency in Amsterdam, they have a relationship with Trans Amsterdam, and they gave us this room for filming.”
Beauty queens, the parents of transgender children, a former Special Forces police officer, and the Deputy Mayor/Alderman of Amsterdam are among the accomplished transgender individuals telling their stories. His documentary, which has earned recognition at the World Film Festival in Cannes, is having its world premiere at The Suffolk Music and Arts Festival, presented by the Love Wins International Film Festival and Babylon Pride, in collaboration with House of Yes in Sayville, on June 6.
It will be among the over 30 impactful, joyful, sobering, humorous films from more than 12 countries by independent filmmakers presenting socially driven storytelling spanning LGBTQ+ identity, resilience, mental health, history, and social commentary.
It took Rizzo about four weeks to conduct the interviews. “You have to celebrate these people,” he said. “They take a chance. They are smart and accomplished, and not the perceived narrative that ‘you’re in the sex industry.’ This is a great place for these films.”
Is Amsterdam more welcoming than most cities?
“It’s the most liberal country in the world,” Rizzo said. “But they have a hard-right faction that wants to change that. As for addressing health issues, it’s always a fight for health care. The hard right almost took over last fall.”
Rizzo, who had driven over two hours from Westchester County for his interview with FINS, was joined by Ellina Graypel, a vibrant Coney Island artist who traveled from Brooklyn. Her 32-minute documentary, Mama Vlada, also recognized at the Cannes Film Festival, highlights Vlada Von Shats, the spirited owner of the beloved New York City gay bar Vlada Lounge. Von Shats shares her journey into human rights activism.
The documentary addresses suicide prevention, AIDS hysteria, and homophobia.
Graypel is a Belarusian American singer, songwriter, film director, producer, composer, and lyricist who holds several international music awards. She also plays harp and guitar and has performed at Carnegie Hall and Hammerstein Ballroom, among other prestigious venues. She advocates for human rights.
Vlada’s story, she said, touched her. In the video teaser, Vlada is described by a gay man as the mother many gays never had.
“I found my way to do it, little by little,” Graypel said. “It’s hard to make the film, but the medium can change your mind. I invited senators to come in to see it [it played at the Kent Theater on Coney Island Avenue in Brooklyn for a week in February], and one of them said, ‘you know, it touched me.’ There was another gentleman, very hateful to others. I invited him after showing it in Brooklyn, and he said, ‘I want to watch it again.’”
Those are the reactions the Love Wins festival founder and creator, Jaret Martino, hopes to hear with these films. Martino joined his festival with the Plaza Cinema & Media Arts Center in 2022. The films have been revealing and hopeful, especially with 2022’s Knock Out Blonde about Kellie Maloney, formerly Frank Maloney, a famed boxing promoter who transitioned to a woman and flew in from England for the festival.
Last year’s festival attracted Richard Gere and Lily Tomlin in the film lineup. Gere was executive producer of Eyes on Ukraine, a short documentary that explores what happens when HIV and war combust. Tomlin starred in An Unexpected Community, directed by Kathryn L. Beranich, which highlighted the online platform Women on the Net via Zoom, where lesbians and queer women shared entertaining programming during the pandemic.
Last year, 60 filmmakers and screenwriters flew in from as far away as Australia and the U.K., hosted by The LGBT Network in Hauppauge and the Plaza Cinema & Media Arts Center in Patchogue.
Martino’s film festivals are lively, thought-provoking, profound, and uplifting. This year’s red carpet and live programming will feature Val from WBLI, Bella Noche, Porche, and Jason Walker, the LGBTQ+ Billboard dance artist behind multiple No. 1 club hits.
Martino, an actor in films and television, as well as an award-winning director, writer, and producer, has been a regular with his organization at Plaza Cinema for several years, with films about women’s empowerment, diversity, inclusion, and LGBTQ+ messages. He moved the festival to the Sayville Theater because it has become so big.
Catherine Oberg, Plaza Cinema’s former executive director, is one of this year’s judges.
There will be a visual arts competition and live talent showcase, with selected performers competing for a cash prize and talent representation meetings with Mara Santino of Luber Roklin Entertainment and Maggie Maes of MKM Talent Management. Sayville Ferry has offered discounted tickets for networking that day at Cherry Grove.
“Filmmakers like Elina and John and everyone who is in this film festival are the glue holding everyone together now,” Martino said, referring to the gay and trans backlash. “I look at them as the way back to humanity.”
The films begin at 10 a.m on June 6. For tickets, click on filmfreeway.com/LoveWinsFilmFestival.
