Benj Welmond, Director: In December 2020, my former college roommate reached out to me and asked if I could be a groomsman at his wedding. “Sounds great!” I responded, “But just so you know, I no longer identify as a man”.  I explained to him that I had come out as non-binary and that I wouldn’t feel comfortable wearing a man’s suit. Instead, I decided to wear a dress to the wedding.

Benj, trying on "the dress"

This permission to present outside of traditional gender norms provoked a lot of anxiety for me on how I wanted to be seen. I had to find a dress that felt appropriate for the wedding: similar in color to the groom's party attire, but feminine enough for me to feel comfortable. I began the search for a dress with the assistance of a close trans friend. Together, we navigated a variety of boutiques and department stores and were confronted with the challenges and attitudes of others in our search of finding the perfect garment. After an extensive search, we found the appropriate dress, and I realized that even in these smaller decisions this whole “gender thing” was achievable with the support of my community. 

This life experience inspired me to write Groomsperson, my most personal film yet.

Groomsperson test shoot

Groomsperson is the story of July, a shy, transfeminine nonbinary person in the early stages of their transition, and Sylvia, a lavish trans woman and July's closest supporter, as they try to find a dress for a wedding. The film takes place over the course of a single afternoon, as July and Sylvia stumble into a high-end boutique and everything that can go wrong, does. They are confronted by Alyssa, an uptight store owner with a very limited understanding of gender dynamics. As July tries on formal feminine attire for the first time, their relationship with Sylvia is tested and they must confront the realities of their transition and the expectations of heteronormative spaces.

According to a recent study by the UCLA Williams Institute, about 1.2 million Americans currently identify as non-binary. Across this population, there is a variety of different personal definitions of what it means to be non-binary. While the media has done great strides in representing this experience on screen, the “gender questioning” experience is still rare.

The Non-Binary Flag

We, the Groomsperson team, feel that by telling stories about this experience, we can lift some taboos and create discussions around gender diversity. We want to tell stories with complex trans and non-binary characters and the confusion, fear, and awkwardness of the early stages of transition, especially when entering heteronormative spaces. 

In order to create a safe space to explore and enrich these stories, we felt it was important to build a trans and queer environment behind and in front of the camera.

We envision the film to take place in a single, continuous take as the characters navigate the boutique. We want the audience to feel like an active participant, as our main character, July, learns to discover their femininity. By keeping the whole film focused on an extended moment, we are representing the protagonist’s feelings of anxiety.

Tracking shot from HBO's Euphoria

The film is inspired by the work of filmmaker Pedro Almodovar: bombastic colors, over-the-top but relatable characters, and a playful campy tone. Art direction plays a huge part in developing this world and we have an extremely talented team of artists involved in its creation.

Various works by Pau S. Pescador

Artist Pau S. Pescador and clothing designer Nancy Stella Soto are creating a handcrafted world just for this movie. Our film takes place entirely within an upscale boutique in a high-end neighborhood. The set will be designed to be over-the-top and unapproachable, functioning as a stand-in for July's insecurity in exploring feminine spaces. 

Various works by Nancy Stella Soto

All of the costumes will incorporate Nancy’s contemporary stylings, using her signature looks to create an exciting visual language for each individual character. 

Animation sample for film

To represent the inner turmoil of July’s transition, we want to incorporate abstract animation throughout the film. We’ve been collaborating with artist Chloe Welmond and composer David Grabowsky to create a prototype of what that animation might feel like: rough scratches and bursts of lines across the screen combined with a course, death metal-inspired soundtrack.

Currently, our script is complete, we have secured a majority of our cast and crew, and have found the perfect location to shoot our film. The next step is to begin our production!

We need to raise $20,000 to get through the production phase  

This will allow us to:

-pay our incredibly diverse and talented team

-create costumes

-pay for set design

-rent out equipment and gear

-apply for permits, insurance, and all other necessary elements

-adhere to COVID safety protocols- we want to make ensure that our cast and crew stay extra safe and receive ample testing supplies and PPE equipment

Once production has been completed, we will begin the post-production phase of our film: editing, creating the score and animation, color correcting, and sound mixing. The film will then be submitted to major film festivals with an interest in comedy and LGBTQ+-related content.

Once we've reached our goals for production, there's still more to do!

-If we raise $3,000 more we will be able to pay for post-production sound (sound mixing, sound design, and scoring)

-If we raise $4,000 more we will have enough to pay our color corrector and animator!

-If we raise $5,000 more we will be able to pay all of the fees associated with submitting to our favorite festivals!

We appreciate any contribution and participation, and we need your help getting the word out about this important story. There are many ways to share this project with your friends and community across social media.

Please consider copying a call to action of your choice below:

Help @benj.welmond make Groomsperson a comedy about the early stages of gender transition. Join us at: www.seedandspark.com/fund/groomsperson

Let's help @benj.welmond and the rest of their crew tell trans stories with trans artists! Learn more at: www.seedandspark.com/fund/groomsperson

What happens when a trans person needs to find a dress to be a Groomsperson at a wedding? Find out at: www.seedandspark.com/fund/groomsperson

What am I supposed to wear as a groomsperson?!? Help @benj.welmond and team figure it out at: www.seedandspark.com/fund/groomsperson

Look for updates, announcements, and shareable content on Instagram: @benj.welmond

Thanks for reading, watching, and sharing!