Mama Gloria

Mama Gloria is an American documentary film directed by Luchina Fisher. The film tells the life story of Gloria Allen, a septuagenarian trans woman from the south side of Chicago. Mama Gloria premiered in October 2020 at the Chicago International Film Festival. The film received awards from the Teaneck International Film Festival and the Milwaukee Film Festival.[2][3]

Mama Gloria
Official movie poster. The image depicts Gloria Allen, the documentary's titular subject, looking directly into the camera. She has short hair and a striped top.
Official movie poster
Directed byLuchina Fisher
Written byLuchina Fisher
Produced byLuchina Fisher
Yvonne Welbon
Zainab Ali
StarringGloria Allen
CinematographyStephen J. Lewis
Edited byCaroline Berler
Music byJocelyn Chambers
Production
companies
Black Public Media
Little Light Productions
Sisters in Cinema
SouthPaw Video Productions
Release date
  • 14 October 2020 (2020-10-14) (Chicago International Film Festival)
[1]
Running time
76 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Plot

Mama Gloria centers Gloria Allen, a 73-year-old trans woman based in Chicago, Illinois. The film shares her life and recollections of growing up on the south side with an extremely supportive family, her childhood realization that she was a girl, time spent in the drag ball scene, her eventual coming out and gender reassignment surgery, and her later career as the proprietor of a charm school.[2][4]

Production

Mama Gloria is director and writer Luchina Fisher's debut documentary feature.[5] She developed Mama Gloria so her own daughter, teenage trans advocate Gia Parr, would have a story about a Black trans woman role model that didn't focus solely on their vulnerability to violence.[6][7] The idea originated from her friend E. Patrick Johnson, who shared a Chicago Tribune profile of Allen and suggested Fisher produce a documentary.[8] The title is taken from the nickname by which Allen is known.[9]

Fisher co-produced the film with Yvonne Welbon, Zainab Ali, and Lorna Grisby.[10][7] The majority of the crew were members of the Black LGBTQ community.[11]

Filming began in 2018. Although production was shut down at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Fisher had enough footage by that time for a complete story.[8]

Of the production, Allen stated in an interview in the Chicago Tribune, "“It’s just like a dream for me...Everything turned out to be so good and I’m so grateful and thankful to her."[2]

The soundtrack includes "Presence of a Legend," an original song by trans singer-songerwriter Shea Diamond.[8]

Release

Mama Gloria premiered at the Chicago International Film Festival in October 2020 and later showed at several other festivals.[3] It was released as a part of the World Channel documentary series AfroPoP: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange on April 5, 2021.[12]

Licensing rights to the film were acquired by PBS for release in 2021.[13]

Reception

The film received positive reception. In a positive review for Scalawag, Antonia Randolph wrote, "Rather than offering a litany of the trauma that Black trans women endure, we see how anti-trans violence may have haunted Mama Gloria's life, but does not define it. The film's poignancy comes from contrasting the victories and disappointments that make up any life with a portrayal of the unique forces that subject Black transgender women to premature death."[6] NBC News's Derrick Clifton described Allen's story as "one of surviving with grace and dignity, and a model of possibility for trans people when they are loved and affirmed by their families."[3] Kathleen Sachs of the Chicago Reader described it as a "love letter to the charismatic activist" and noted that "it’s refreshing to watch something about love within this community—especially Allen’s love for herself."[5]

Awards and nominations

References
  1. "Mama Gloria". Chicago International Film Festival. Archived from the original on 11 November 2021. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  2. Rockett, Darcel (31 March 2021). "'Mama Gloria': Gloria Allen on love, resiliency, and her legendary status in Chicago's transgender community". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
  3. Clifton, Derrick (2020-12-28). "'Mama Gloria' celebrates a Black transgender elder's resilience and joy". NBC News. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
  4. Penrice, Ronda Racha (2021-04-05). "Chicago's Own Mama Gloria, The Subject Of A Bold New Documentary, Is Proud And Trans Even In Her 70s". Essence. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
  5. Sachs, Kathleen (2020-10-13). "Highlights of the Chicago International Film Fest". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
  6. Randolph, Antonia (2021-04-23). "The life and glamour of Gloria Allen". Scalawag. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
  7. Sprayregen, Molly. "'Mama Gloria' Is The Story Of Transgender Trailblazer, Gloria Allen". Forbes. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
  8. Arnott, Christopher (6 April 2021). "Connecticut documentarian's 'Mama Gloria,' about a legendary Chicago trans activist, is now streaming". courant.com. Retrieved 2021-11-11.
  9. Sosin, Kate (2020-11-20). "As transgender people mark deadliest year on record, one elder fights for the living". The 19th. Retrieved 2021-11-11.
  10. "Mama Gloria, about Chicago's elder, trans, activist icon, to screen - Windy City Times News". Windy City Times. 2020-11-10. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
  11. Simon, Jordan. "'Mama Gloria': The Life Of A Trailblazing, Black Transgender Woman Is Front And Center In New Documentary". Shadow and Act. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
  12. Matthews, Nadine (2021-04-08). "'Mama Gloria' charts life of mentor, icon of trans community". New York Amsterdam News. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
  13. Wright, Elaine. "CineOdyssey Film Festival in Charlotte has a Diverse Lineup". Charlotte Observer.
  14. "Teaneck International Award for 2020". Teaneck International Film Festival. 16 April 2021. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
  15. "2021 Milwaukee Film Festival Winners - 'Mama Gloria' 'The Heartland' 'Once Upon a Time in Venezuela' Win Top Jury Awards". VIMooZ. 2021-05-26. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
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