Super Studds and an Usher look-alike hit Gender Reel

DURHAM, N.C. - July 8, 2014 - PRLog -- M.I., A Different Kind of Girl, a riveting documentary film by Durham-based filmmaker Leslie Cunningham, about a little known LGBTQ sub-culture will screen at Gender Reel's annual festival being held in five cities this year: Minneapolis, MN, Omaha, NE, Long Beach, CA, Durham, NC, and Philadelphia, PA.

In M.I., filmmakers Leslie Cunningham and Alana Jones enter the world of new millennium drag and pick up the torch ignited by films like Paris is Burning to investigate attitudes in the North Carolina LGBT and African-American communities about women in drag.

The film follows Laine Brown, a spirited and passionate male impersonator born on North Carolina's rural coast. Laine transforms herself by taping down her breasts, shaving her head, and studying the masculine performances of Usher, Neyo and many famous male entertainers- to become the incomparable NATION TYRE, show-stopper and ground-breaker for women in drag.

In her fledgling years on stage, Nation's drag 'family', the House of Tyre (tye-ree) from of Atlanta, GA, helped mold her into a 'super studd', embodying a 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week gender performance that rejected the "trans-" label but required a commitment to masculinity that left Nation feeling pressured to abandon the reality of her femaleness. The family, headed by Sincere Tyre, an established M.I. in his own right, wants Nation to be "harder," and ultimately return to Atlanta where this strict and complete dedication to masculinity dominates the female drag scene and Male Illusion is more accepted in the LGBTQ community.

Nation's fiancée and biological family, while increasingly accepting of her sexuality and career as a Male Illusionist, want her to be more feminine in life.  Ultimately, Nation is challenged by a desire to please all of those that love her.

"I believe that we uncovered some powerful and fundamental ideas about life and identity that we hope will challenge viewers thinking about women, in general, and specifically, on drag stages reaching beyond the borders of the LGBTQ community," says producer and director Leslie Cunningham.

Recently selected by Gender Reel, a coast-to-coast event dedicated to enhancing the visibility of gender non-conforming, gender variant/queer and transgender people, identities and experiences, the M.I. film features music and special commentary by Hip Hop's hottest female duo, KIN4LIFE. Their "Lone Ranger" song, a featured track in the film, is in response to attacks and bullying targeting LGBTQ youth. KIN4LIFE offers important commentary at the end of the film.

About Gender Reel  – Gender Reel is a coast-to-coast event dedicated to enhancing the visibility of gender non-conforming, gender variant/queer and transgender people, identities and experiences. Our goal is to empower filmmakers and performance artists to create work reflective of this mission by providing an accessible and embracing platform where this work can be showcased.  Visit http://genderreelfest.com.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u92NxKwlLl4



Join the M.I. cast and filmmakers on Sept 19th & 20^th 2014 for the Durham screenings hosted by North Carolina Central University at the  Micheaux School of Education, 700 Cecil St. Durham, NC 27707. Visit http://www.maleillusionistthefilm.com for more details.