You may have heard of revered jazz musician Billy Tipton, who rose to fame in the 1940s and ‘50s, but it’s unlikely you know the whole story behind him. It’s actually quite possible that what you think you know about him is tainted with the vicious transphobia that was unleashed by the mainstream media after his death in 1989. Which is one of the many reasons you should come to our August 11th screening of Chase Joynt and Aisling Chin-Yee’s extraordinary documentary No Ordinary Man.

One of the best films — queer or otherwise — to come out during the peak of the pandemic, No Ordinary Man essentially reimagines Tipton’s narrative through a diverse group of contemporary trans performers and experts. Blending recordings, archival and present-day interviews, and the performers’ interpretations, the film provides a necessary dialogue about transmasculinity — something even the recent surge in trans representation and storytelling hasn’t done nearly enough of. 

We are so excited to screen No Ordinary Man in a cinema, a place few have been able to see it since it was released when most of them were shuttered. We’re even more excited that many members of the cast and crew will be joining us in person for a Q&A, and that the great Chris E. Vargas made this wonderful poster for us (which will be available in print at the screening).

Tickets now available at paradiseonbloor.com. See you August 11th at 8pm 🎹🎹🎹