After a successful festival run, Perera Pictures & Fisky Enterprises are releasing the documentary titled Paul & Trisha: The Art of Fluidity featuring Paul Whitehead & Trisha Van Cleef through VOD. The film is written, directed and produced by Fia Perera, with Adam Fisk serving as an executive producer and the cinematography and editing by William Gilmore. This heartwarming and inspirational documentary explores the lives of two renowned British artists who exist in one gender-fluid body: Paul Whitehead and Trisha Van Cleef.
Paul & Trisha: The Art of Fluidity focuses on Paul Whitehead, a painter, graphic designer, writer, and musician who worked as an art director for Time Out and John Lennon; founded the Eyes and Ears Foundation and its Artboard Festival, which allowed artists to showcase their work on billboards; and made album covers for music icons like Genesis, Credence Clearwater Revival, Van der Graaf Generator, and Peter Hammill.
The following statement from the filmmaker was received with the correspondence about the film. “As a filmmaker and activist, my passion is spotlighting and elevating individuals like Paul and Trisha, who navigate their gender fluidity and duality with great freedom”, said Perera. “My mission with this film is to help inspire other people who are struggling to be their true selves to take the leap!”
Whitehead began exploring his gender identity through cross-dressing during the 1960s, leading to the emergence of the converged artist Trisha Van Cleef in 2004. The film covers the challenges and victories the two artists have faced, together and individually.
I was very happy to hear the artists relate about their binary existence and Trisha Van Cleef’s debut with the belief that “God gave us free will” and moved forward after reading/learning about the artist Marcel Duchamp. Whitehead’s wife accepted Van Cleef’s emergence, but their marriage did not seem to survive. So much about what Paul shared was very intriguing and especially having the connection to Santana and the spirituality. I won’t relate it all in this review but suffice it to say the one artist is now two and with different styles of work. It is enjoyable to watch him work based upon his mood too.
The director’s story is easy to follow and I found myself feeling as if I had been listening to a friend talk about their life. There is plenty of artwork to enjoy and archival materials to view. There is a reenactment of an incident that Trisha experienced. Although dramatic, there is a level of unexpected humor as well.
Cast- Raul Celaya (Xavier), Phil Day (Self), Sheena Gao (Self), Johnny Nelson (Bennito), Paul Nygro (Young Trisha), Gabriel Ricardez (Tito), Ilya Rusak (Carlo), Mary Thompson (Dog Woman) Traci Westbrook (Self), Paul Whitehead (Self)
Paul & Trisha: The Art of Fluidity is Perera’s directorial debut and will stream in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand and available on July 9, 2024. 75 minutes
Source: Gravitas Ventures, Perera Pictures & Fisky Enterprises
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