AFFIRMATION
New York City, New York | Film Short
LGBTQ, Romance
Affirmation normalizes trans people falling in love, and is the first film to portray a character with phalloplasty. Xavier (Emmett Preciado), a trans man, and Sebastien (Leo Sheng), his cis queer date, meet for the first time and spontaneously end up at Keith Haring’s “Once Upon a Time” mural.
AFFIRMATION
New York City, New York | Film Short
LGBTQ, Romance
1 Campaigns | New York, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $17,320 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
119 supporters | followers
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Affirmation normalizes trans people falling in love, and is the first film to portray a character with phalloplasty. Xavier (Emmett Preciado), a trans man, and Sebastien (Leo Sheng), his cis queer date, meet for the first time and spontaneously end up at Keith Haring’s “Once Upon a Time” mural.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Affirmation’s artistic vision makes history by being the first film to feature a trans man “Xavier” (Emmett Preciado) years after he received gender-affirming-care (radial forearm phalloplasty) and experiences joy during "a day in the life" of queer dating in NYC when he matches on a dating app with "Sebastien" (Leo Sheng) a cis queer man.
(Emmett Preciado, actor & trans-advocate, "Xavier," Photo by Daniel Zox)
(Leo Sheng, actor & activist, “Sebastien”)
When "Xavier" and "Sebastien" meet in Manhattan's West Village, at Caffe Reggio, the spot that brought the Cappuccino to America, they open up about life and work over a long coffee-infused conversation, as their questions and answers provoke thought and reflection, it leads to sexual attraction.
From a scar on Xavier's arm, Sebastien learns of the positive impact that gender-affirming care had on his date’s life. Ultimately arriving at a sense of what it’s like to be liberated and experience gender euphoria, set against Keith Haring’s revolutionary “Once Upon a Time” mural at the LGBT Center, which forms the backdrop for Affirmation's final scene. In 1989, Keith Haring painted the “Once Upon a Time” mural, twenty years after the Stonewall Riots, to affirm the existence of gay liberation.
Affirmation reflects the time since its creation and in union with Keith, we embrace queer and trans bodies. For “Xavier” and other trans masculine men with lower dysphoria, gender-affirming care like RFF phalloplasty cures or lessens their dysphoria; a penis does not make a gender. The Keith Haring Foundation granted our team permission to film, after writer/director, Christopher Vallario outlined the lack of positive trans-masculine visibility within film and shared Affirmation's goal of showing what's possible through liberation and love.
(Keith Haring’s 1989 “Once Upon a Time” mural.” )
This isn't your typical "transition" story.
Our story shows what's possible.
Rather than being supplied with superficial stories about trans people, we strive to give you an uplifting and feel-good story where trans people are in fact lovable.
Think of this as securing a piece of history that you'd actually pay to see.
Let's put the power in the hands of our community and LGBTQIA+ filmmakers.
Affirmation captures the moments of life that we never get to see on screen because trans-stories are NOT being told by trans-people. By contributing, you're advocating for trans creators to make their own stories; together we can change portrayals of trans narratives.
We truly appreciate those who can financially contribute to please do so, and to share our campaign with your network. Trans and queer filmmakers have the power to change this current landscape; however, we need our community and especially our cis allies to provide the capital to make this film truly possible. We appreciate your kindness and generosity for supporting our groundbreaking film. Once the capital is raised, Affirmation will be produced in NYC, after post-production, we will work with the Keith Haring Foundation on distribution, submit to festivals, and have screenings. Our goal is to be able to share it with our community and beyond!
Contributors are directly preserving the stories that society is attempting to erase, so by gifting to Affirmation, you are making it possible for us to share trans joy and gender liberation with our community and beyond!
(Christopher Vallario, Emmett Preciado, Tony Zosherafatain, Equality Fashion Week 2024)
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Production Cost
Costs $11,324
Since it is a SAG-AFTRA micro budget, we are paying everyone equally. This is the amount we need.
Post Production
Costs $3,200
This is the amount that we need to hire an editor, color correction, sound and mixing, music licensing, and subtitles and captions.
Marketing/Distrubution/Contingency
Costs $1,200
This is for film festival submissions, social media ads, DCP creation, and contingency.
Pre-Production
Costs $1,270
This is for our art poster, table read for the actors, editor of promo video, production insurance, and permits
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Confirmed Key Creative Personnel & Bio(s)
Emmett Preciado "Xavier", formerly known as Emmett Claren, is an American transgender actor and singer-songwriter of Spanish, Mexican and European descent. He was born in Merced, California but grew up in Chilton, Wisconsin. Emmett actively participated in school musicals as a child and into his teen years. He started to seriously pursue his acting career after dropping out of college to physically transition. Emmett got his first principal role in the spring of 2019. He is known for his role as Rowan on Freeform's Good Trouble. At the end of 2020, he shot his first Guest Star role as Rio Gutierrez which can be seen on an episode of the ABC hit drama, The Good Doctor. And in the spring of 2021, Emmett guest starred as Mateo Cruz on ABC's Rebel. Emmett is an activist who creates content to help other trans masculine men navigate gender affirmation procedures. He is super excited to show the world what is possible today! "Life doesn't end at your transition, it begins."
(Emmett Preciado, Air and Memory, Christopher Vallario)
Talent: Leo Sheng “Sebastien” adopted from Hunan, China, and raised by two moms who were social workers, Leo was scheduled to begin a two-year master’s program at the University of Michigan’s School Social Work when he booked his first acting job in 2017: a lead role in the film Adam. After filming, he resumed graduate school only to leave after one year when he was cast in and as a series regular on Showtime’s The L Word: Generation Q. Since then, Leo has also worked on the Matrix Resurrections (2021), the scripted Marvel podcast series Squirrel Girl: The Unbeatable Radio Show!, and the Vice docu-series Finishing School. Although a career in social work is on hold, Leo's identities as a Chinese American queer trans man heavily inform his work on and off-screen. Leo is also super excited to join Affirmation. "I always wanted to tell trans love stories!"
(Leo Sheng, GLSEN)
Producer: Tony Zosherafatain began directing and producing films in 2012. He is an Emmy-shortlisted and GLAAD-nominated director, producer, and writer who investigates the ways in which people navigate identity and intersectional issues. Most recently, he directed, wrote, and hosted the TV series Trans in Trumpland, which was shortlisted for Emmy eligibility, received critical acclaim, and was nominated for a GLAAD award. The series was nominated as “one of the best” documentaries of 2021 by W Magazine. Trans in Trumpland is available to watch on Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, and Tubi. His films have screened at domestic and international film festivals, including Nashville Film Festival, Richmond International Film Festival, OutFest, Inside Out, NewFest, and Out on Film. His work has been featured in Variety, W Magazine, The New York Times, The Advocate, the BBC, and Deadline.
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Writer/ Director: Christopher Vallario (he/him) is an independent artist from NYC who creates queer and trans-centered stories to celebrate and acknowledge our existence. His trans-masculine identity and pansexuality lends to his films by challenging class, race, and gender, especially the ways people perceive love, work, and money. He proudly hires transgender, non-conforming, and marginalized artists in all of his works and collaborations. In 2017 he co-created Vin and Jill, the first transgender odd-couple drama/comedy, which earned Best TV Script from the Los Angeles Film Awards, official selections for NYC International Screenplay and Big Apple Film Awards. He has placed in screenwriting competitions and fellowships such as Screencraft's TV Pilot Competition, WeScreenplay's Diverse Voices, The Film Empire Diversity Mentorship, and Inroads Screenwriting Fellowship.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Affirmation’s artistic vision makes history by being the first film to feature a trans man “Xavier” (Emmett Preciado) years after he received gender-affirming-care (radial forearm phalloplasty) and experiences joy during "a day in the life" of queer dating in NYC when he matches on a dating app with "Sebastien" (Leo Sheng) a cis queer man.
(Emmett Preciado, actor & trans-advocate, "Xavier," Photo by Daniel Zox)
(Leo Sheng, actor & activist, “Sebastien”)
When "Xavier" and "Sebastien" meet in Manhattan's West Village, at Caffe Reggio, the spot that brought the Cappuccino to America, they open up about life and work over a long coffee-infused conversation, as their questions and answers provoke thought and reflection, it leads to sexual attraction.
From a scar on Xavier's arm, Sebastien learns of the positive impact that gender-affirming care had on his date’s life. Ultimately arriving at a sense of what it’s like to be liberated and experience gender euphoria, set against Keith Haring’s revolutionary “Once Upon a Time” mural at the LGBT Center, which forms the backdrop for Affirmation's final scene. In 1989, Keith Haring painted the “Once Upon a Time” mural, twenty years after the Stonewall Riots, to affirm the existence of gay liberation.
Affirmation reflects the time since its creation and in union with Keith, we embrace queer and trans bodies. For “Xavier” and other trans masculine men with lower dysphoria, gender-affirming care like RFF phalloplasty cures or lessens their dysphoria; a penis does not make a gender. The Keith Haring Foundation granted our team permission to film, after writer/director, Christopher Vallario outlined the lack of positive trans-masculine visibility within film and shared Affirmation's goal of showing what's possible through liberation and love.
(Keith Haring’s 1989 “Once Upon a Time” mural.” )
This isn't your typical "transition" story.
Our story shows what's possible.
Rather than being supplied with superficial stories about trans people, we strive to give you an uplifting and feel-good story where trans people are in fact lovable.
Think of this as securing a piece of history that you'd actually pay to see.
Let's put the power in the hands of our community and LGBTQIA+ filmmakers.
Affirmation captures the moments of life that we never get to see on screen because trans-stories are NOT being told by trans-people. By contributing, you're advocating for trans creators to make their own stories; together we can change portrayals of trans narratives.
We truly appreciate those who can financially contribute to please do so, and to share our campaign with your network. Trans and queer filmmakers have the power to change this current landscape; however, we need our community and especially our cis allies to provide the capital to make this film truly possible. We appreciate your kindness and generosity for supporting our groundbreaking film. Once the capital is raised, Affirmation will be produced in NYC, after post-production, we will work with the Keith Haring Foundation on distribution, submit to festivals, and have screenings. Our goal is to be able to share it with our community and beyond!
Contributors are directly preserving the stories that society is attempting to erase, so by gifting to Affirmation, you are making it possible for us to share trans joy and gender liberation with our community and beyond!
(Christopher Vallario, Emmett Preciado, Tony Zosherafatain, Equality Fashion Week 2024)
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Production Cost
Costs $11,324
Since it is a SAG-AFTRA micro budget, we are paying everyone equally. This is the amount we need.
Post Production
Costs $3,200
This is the amount that we need to hire an editor, color correction, sound and mixing, music licensing, and subtitles and captions.
Marketing/Distrubution/Contingency
Costs $1,200
This is for film festival submissions, social media ads, DCP creation, and contingency.
Pre-Production
Costs $1,270
This is for our art poster, table read for the actors, editor of promo video, production insurance, and permits
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!