Gender Performance Stigma Gets the Romcom Treatment in FEMME

While it's agreed upon by most people in the LGBTQ community that heterosexual men are overall lacking when it comes to embracing their feminine side, queer men are often ridiculed from within the community for embracing it too much. Unfortunately, the phrase "no fats, no femmes" didn't rise to popularity ironically.

A new short film, FEMME, starring Corey Camperchioli, comes at the issue head-on. The film follows Carson (Camperchioli) who spirals into an existential snap after being turned away by a dating app hookup for being too effeminate. Set in Hell's Kitchen, the epicenter for gay New York City nightlife, the film paints a very real picture of the pitfalls that await queer men in the hookup app age.

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"FEMME is a deeply personal story written by and starring my friend Corey Camperchioli whose unique voice and perspective add another nuanced layer to the conversation surrounding gender performance, identity and the societal expectations surrounding them," said executive producer and Golden Globe winner Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) in a release.

The short film will premiere at Wicked Queer, the Boston LGBT Film Festival, as a part of the "Coming of Age" shorts section on Saturday, March 31 at 1 pm EST. Watch the trailer below, and find more information on the festival here.

FEMME: THE FILM -- Official Trailer from Casa Vera Films on Vimeo.