My Emptiness and I + Q&A

Come and fall in love with Raphi, one of the most iconic film characters you’ll meet this year, as we celebrate the UK Premiere of MY EMPTINESS AND I and discuss trans representation in film with Director Adrian Silvestre.

We are thrilled to have award-winning director Adrian Silvestre joining us in Glasgow for the occasion to introduce the film and discuss the long process behind the film, from the initial workshops to finding protagonist and co-writer of the film Raphaëlle Perez, and channeling her personal story through a moving fiction film. Raw, honest, and thought-provoking, MY EMPTINESS AND I is an intensely intimate journey of self-discovery and acceptance.

Raphi, young and naive, enjoys writing love poems and dreams about falling in love. She decided to leave her native France and moved to Barcelona, where she works in a call center. Her many attempts to maintain relationships with other boys gave her anxiety. And even with an official diagnosis from her psychologist—gender dysphoria—Raphi struggles with what that means. As a trans woman, Raphi not only needs to define and defend herself to anyone who asks, but also she needs to deal with the social pressures to move forward with surgery.

The brutal dating app scene doesn’t help as she’s matched with men who see her as more of a sexual novelty than a human being in search of love and connection. Wading through serious doubts and an array of intimate encounters of varying pleasure, Raphi must learn to trust herself and her newfound opportunity of the arts as a means of healing and empowerment.

The screenplay for this social-realist drama came about in close collaboration with lead actor Raphaëlle Perez, as well as by drawing on the experiences of various queer communities.

The film will be followed by a Q&A with Director Adrian Silvestre

The Q&A will be moderated by Inma de Reyes (she/her) - a queer, Spanish film director based in Edinburgh, where she graduated in MFA Film Directing. Inma is a BFI/BAFTA Crew Network member and her work has featured in The Skinny, MUBI and Screenskills. She is currently working on my first feature film with Aconite Productions, 'Castillos de Arena', in an international co-production with Rustic Canyon (USA), awarded by Chicken & Egg Pictures. She co-directed ‘Isabel’s Independence’ for BBC Scotland, Vivir Bailando for Screen Scotland and Eighty Serbian Dinars for FilmArt.

Festivals:

IFFR - Rotterdam Big Screen Competition (World Premiere)

Thessaloniki Film Fest - Mermaid Award

Outfest Los Angeles - Best Performance

QueerLisboa

Seattle Queer FIlm Festival

* This event is part of the 8th Catalan Film Festival, with more screenings at CCA and GFT. More info: www.catalanfilmfestival.com

Content note

Sexual activity discreet and infrequent.

Sliding scale ticketing information

Standard ticket - £8:

• I am comfortably able to meet all of my basic needs
• I may have some debt but it doesn’t prohibit attainment of basic needs
• I can afford an annual holiday or take time off
• I can afford public and private transport. If I have a car/access to a car I can afford petrol.
• I have access to financial savings.
• I have an expendable income
• I can always buy new items

I can only pay £5:

• I may stress about meeting my basic needs but still regularly achieve them
• I am able to buy some new items and I buy others second-hand
• I can afford public transport and often private transport
• If I have a car/access to a car I can afford petrol
• I am employed
• I might have access to financial savings
• I can take a holiday annually or every few years without financial burden.