Experiencing Interruptions?

What It Means to Be

Callie Rose Petal is a multidisciplinary artist-activist who uses her position in STEM to fight for trans* rights and representation. As the world’s doors close due to the pandemic and her health declines, her heart opens to the truth of her womanhood. She embarks on a journey of self-acceptance and turns to art-as-activism to inspire others.

  • Lea Luiz De Oliveira
    Director
    A la folie, Spit it Out
  • lonely carp
    Key Cast
  • Lindsay Watson
    Editor
  • Sinead Kirwan
    Exec Producer
    Dying to Divorce, Still the Enemy Within, I don't want to call it Home
  • Adam Harper
    Editor 2
  • Maniatrix
    Sound Designer
  • Callie Rose Petal
    Composer
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Documentary
  • Runtime:
    35 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    June 1, 2023
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Kashish International Queer Film Festival
    Mumbai
    India
    June 16, 2023
    Indian Premiere
    Best Short Documentary
  • Cinastra Film Festival
    Glasgow
    United Kingdom
    November 4, 2023
    Scottish Premiere
  • Homographia
    Brussels
    Belgium
    September 28, 2023
    European Premiere
Director Biography - Lea Luiz De Oliveira

Lea (she/her) is an award-winning French-Brazilian filmmaker based in Scotland. Her work tackles mental health and gender violence. She has produced and directed films in Brazil, Turkey, Scandinavia, Europe and Korea. In 2019, her documentary, “Spit It Out”, was commissioned by BBC and talks about recovery from sexual trauma through the power of spoken word. Following the success of the film, she co-founded the award-winning organisation “Spit it Out” dedicated to opening conversations around consent, mental health and healing through creativity. She is currently in post-production for her latest film “What it means to be”. In 2022, she appeared on the Young Women Scot “30 women before 30”.

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