LARRY (they/them)
Director: Catherine Legault
Canada, 2024, 103 min
Shooting Format:4K and HD
Festival Year:2025
Category:Documentary Feature
Genres:Identity, Arts, Photography, Portrait, LGBTQ+
Cast:Laurence Philomène, Nina Drew, Lucky Dykstra-Santos
Crew:Writer: Catherine Legault ; Producers: Isabelle Phaneuf-Cyr, Rémy Huberdeau, Catherine Legault ; Director of Photography: Claire Sanford, Samuel Trudelle, Catherine Legault ; Editor: Catherine Legault ; Animation: Kara Blake, Nina Drew ; Composers: Eric Shaw, Scout The wise.
Email:kate@concertofilms.com
Synopsis
Young non-binary trans photographer Laurence Philomène has emerged as one of the most original and inspiring voices of their generation and an LGBTQ+ community icon. Exploring the artist’s intimate world and creative process, LARRY (they/them) paints a luminous and engaging portrait of the complex, often misunderstood multiplicity of trans and non-binary identities and experiences.
Trailer
About the director
Catherine is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and editor with a film production degree from Montreal’s Concordia University. In 2016, she founded Concerto Films. Her début feature, the documentary “Sisters: Dream & Variations” (2019), screened widely on the international festival circuit as well as in cinemas and on television. The film was a five-time winner at the IndieFEST Film Awards and took an IRIS at the Gala Québec Cinéma. “LARRY (they/them)” (2024) is her second feature. For Catherine, valuing diversity isn’t just some politically correct stance: rather, it shapes how she lives and relates to others. Her films stand as open and caring spaces, invitations to look further and see things differently.
Filmmaker's note
We are living at a time when stereotypes and gender norms are being contested as never before. Laurence’s commitment to documenting their reality and community is crucial at this juncture in history, when many of the gains of the LGBTQ+ community are being jeopardized and challenged all over the world. That is why I believe Laurence’s story to be both significant and timely. Through Laurence’s photographic approach, "LARRY (they/them)" explores the power of representation, sociocultural realities and the fluidity of gender.
I met Laurence while directing my first film, "Sisters: Dream & Variations". I was immediately drawn to their art practice and I hired them as a photographer on several occasions. What first struck me about Laurence’s photography is their evocative portrayals of their subjects, the vibrancy of their palette and the celebration of difference that permeates every shot. While the subject matter and aesthetic of "LARRY (they/them)" differ from my past work, a continuity emerges in the themes I explore: non-conforming identities and art as a means of self-expression.
Trans representation is an issue that is close to my heart. It’s a subject I care deeply about and I advocate for it both before and behind the camera. I felt strongly that trans and non-binary people should be active participants in the creation of "LARRY (they/them)" and that the film should bring together artists and technicians concerned by the subjects addressed. A special effort was therefore made to bring their talents and sensibilities to the fore at every stage of production. Content supervision was overseen by my associate producer Rémy Huberdeau, a trans man; the animations were illustrated by Nina Drew, a non-binary artist and Laurence’s life partner, while the original score was co-composed by trans musician Scout The Wise.
Laurence's photographic art acts as a stepping stone into their personal story. Filmed in the observational style of direct cinema, the film's visual treatment draws inspiration from Laurence’s depiction of intimacy and scenes from their domestic life. Their autobiographical project "Puberty" features nudity in a way that is frank and natural, as does the film. By presenting Laurence as a positive transgender role model working to counter exclusion and invisibility, "LARRY (they/them)" promises to take us out of our comfort zones and break free from outdated dominant ideas. My goal with this film is to share an intimate portrait that invests a human story with an artistic yet contemporary perspective, and thus in my own way, contribute to the positive momentum of trans representation.