Short films are often seen as calling cards for talented writers and directors, but with so many of them about, getting attention can be tough. It says something, then, that Janice Danielle's short Bella Maddo has been acclaimed around the world, from Los Angeles to Cannes. It's the story of a woman so obsessed with her appearance that she's prepared to go to extremes to stay thin and glamorous, even with a baby on the way and a young child dependent on her. Mixing sly comedy with dark melodrama, it's fun despite its ugly subject matter. But what makes Bella Maddo unusual is that it's the first film ever to star a cast made up completely of transgender people.
"Casting all trans actors in non trans roles came to be because I needed and wanted to work, and no one is casting transgender actors in non transgender roles," says director Janice Danielle, an accomplished actress and stand-up comic who has been turned down for parts after being told her gender history would be "too much of a distraction". Although transgender characters in films are regularly played by non-transgender actors (think of The Crying Game or Breakfast On Pluto), Janice notes "There is simply no work at all for trans-actors in non-trans roles. There's plenty of work for 'us' if we wanna play the dysfunctional sexual deviant, or the hooker, or be mocked, but to date there has not been a director that has cast a trans person in a non trans role. During casting, one of my criteria was that the actors had to live full time in their preferred gender - no drag kings or drag queens - and I felt it would have more of an impact if the leads and all the extras were trans."
Of course, one of the risks of making a film in this way is that critics may place so much focus on the casting that they hardly notice the quality of the film itself. "I am most proud of the film when people critique the actual work, whether positively or negatively, and judge me on my skills, not on my sexual identity," Janice says. "The film has been received very well with the festivals, and I was extremely happy that Indie-Wire stated that it was one of the top 10 shorts to see in the recent LA Outfest."
It's always difficult to find stories that fit neatly into a short film slot and still have plenty to say for themselves. "The script is based on the many colorful people that I have encountered in my seven years of living in Hollywood and working as a 'B' actress," she explains. And of its heroine, "I have a 12 year old son, so I do understand the frustrations of raising a child, and in the film, I embellished the frustrations of motherhood. Actually, my son made a brief cameo in the film. He is the only non-trans actor in the film, which is why he is not in the end bowing scene."
The film does contain a trans child, playing Bella's unhappy daughter. Janice says that finding the right child actress was the most difficult aspect of casting, yet she's ready to take on that challenge again. "I am scouting the cities in search of trans children to cast in non-trans roles for another short film."
Meanwhile, she has more plans for Bella. "I am working on finding a home - a TV station - on which to air an eight part mini-series of Bella Maddo. I have already been funded to make the project, however finding a network to air it seems to be a bit more challenging."
If you're interested in seeing Bella Maddo or finding out more about Janice's work, visit www.BellaMaddo.com.
