Fresh off the festival run of their acclaimed short film ‘She’s Nonbinary’, which premiered at the Tribeca Festival and screened at Dances With Films and Raindance, Vancouver-based award-winning trans non-binary filmmaker and actor Jess McLeod is continuing to make waves both in front of and behind the camera. ‘She’s Nonbinary’ sees Max and their cisgender boyfriend Jake as they spiral into a top-surgery-induced identity crisis. McLeod wrote, directed, and stars in ‘She’s Nonbinary’, an intimate exploration of identity, relationships, and gender-affirming care. In this article, McLeod chats with Kavita Musty about the inspiration behind the film, the conversations it has sparked, and the exciting chapter they’re entering in their career.
What sparked the idea for ‘She’s Nonbinary’? Was the project always conceived as a short film, or do you see it as part of a larger story?
It’s based on a break-up that I had with my ex – I told him I was off the waitlist for top surgery. He freaked out, I freaked out that he freaked out, and it spiralled from there. It was initially conceived as a short, but once I started the edit, I immediately realized there was a lot of perspective missing from the story, and it made so much sense that it was actually always supposed to be a feature. So it will be!
The film is hitting multiple high-profile festivals. What conversations do you hope the film starts?
I hope, first and foremost, that people laugh. There’s been an interesting split between those that find it funny, and those that see it as a stark drama, almost leaning towards a horror movie… and however people want to feel about it, I’m not going to stand in their way! I hope that people consider the ways in which they hold onto binary thinking, and how dumb and limiting it can be – trans and cisgender alike.
Harper is both visionary and potentially dangerous. What attracted you to Harper? How do you approach characters who live in that gray area?
I was not in a position to turn down a recurring guest star on a show for AMC, so that was the initial attraction. But as we’ve kept going, I think I’m very attracted to their selfishness, their often myopic view of the world. They’re incredibly flawed. I love that. I approach all characters the same in that I really do feel like I’m pretty much being myself, just through different writing. The writing for Harper makes me a drier, more logical, and far smarter version of myself.
This year, you’ve experienced both independent filmmaking and major television and feature projects. Has anything surprised you about the speed of that growth? What opportunities have opened up because of ‘Normal’ and ‘The Audacity’?
It’s been a wild year. I think the thing I’m always surprised by is what hits and what doesn’t. I’ve been in so many things that people were sure would be huge, and so many of those things haven’t really gone anywhere. My life isn’t really too different, other than I was able to get an awesome manager, which is huge.
What kinds of stories about gender feel underexplored right now? Are there misconceptions about trans or non-binary storytelling that you’d like audiences or industry executives to move beyond?
Pretty much all stories, about gender or otherwise, made by people who are trans or gender non-conforming are underexplored. I think the common misconception is that we’re all the corrective PC police. Some of my trans friends are the most homophobic people I know. We all just kind of want to make jokes and vibe out – most of the corrective stuff I see is coming from cisgender allies. I’d love for more trans people to be in shows and movies where they get to be outside of that box.
Photo Credit: Sydney Bunning (DOP)
As an actor, what’s a note you’ve received that completely transformed a performance?
Sometimes it’s good to be reminded that you’re saying the line for the first time. Also good to be told you’re doing a good job.
Do you think your background as an actor gave you an advantage when directing ‘She’s Nonbinary’? Were there aspects of directing that surprised you because they did not relate to acting?
I think my acting background was the only reason ‘She’s Nonbinary’ worked at all. I’m a very new director. Many aspects about shot choices/lighting/editing I feel like a big dumb baby about. But I do understand the story and how to make actors feel supported and comfortable, and if you have two actors really listening to each other and having fun, it’s easy to forgive the mistakes everywhere else.
You’re entering this next chapter as a series regular, a filmmaker with a festival-circuit short, and someone developing new projects. What excites you most about the work you haven’t made yet?
Series regular vibe is sort of nice, a level of job security that is enviable in the industry – there’s a great dichotomy with the absolute insecurity that comes from being a first-time feature director. I want to be challenged, though, and I’m excited to collaborate with new people who have a lot to teach me, about more than just film/TV. I feel like I just came alive recently, so I’m learning how to live. That’s kind of exciting in a terrifying way.
Photo Credits: Courtesy of Respectfully Productions Inc.
