back

Orlando, ma biographie politique

Orlando, My Political Biography
Encounters 2023
© Les Films du Poisson
Virginia Woolf’s “Orlando” tells the story of a young man who grows up to become a 36-year-old woman. Almost a century after its publication, Paul B. Preciado speaks to Virginia Woolf to tell her that her fictional character has become a reality. The transition of Orlando’s body now lies at the root of all non-binary bodies and there are Orlandos all over the world. Through the authentic voices of other young bodies undergoing metamorphosis, Preciado retraces the stages of his personal transformation through a poetic journey in which life, writing, theory and image merge freely in the search for truth. Every Orlando, he says, is a transgender person who is risking his, her or their life on a daily basis as they find themselves forced to confront government laws, history and psychiatry, as well as traditional notions of the family and the power of multinational pharmaceutical companies. But if “male” and “female” are ultimately political and social fictions, Orlando, ma biographie politique shows us that change is no longer just about gender, but also about poetry, love and skin colour.
by Paul B. Preciado (Director, Screenplay)
with Oscar-Roza Miller, Janis Sahraoui, Liz Christin, Elios Levy, Victor Marzouk, Paul B. Preciado, Kori Ceballos, Vanasay Khamphommala, Ruben Rizza, Julia Postollec, Amir Baylly, Naëlle Dariya, Jenny Bel’Air, Emma Avena, Lillie, Arthur, Eleonore, La Bourette, Noam Iroual, Iris Crosnier, Clara Deshayes, Castiel Emery, Fréderic Pierrot, Nathan Callot, Pierre et Gilles, Tristana Gray Martyr, Le Filip, Miss Drinks, Tom Dekel, Virginie Despentes, Rilke & Pompom France 2023 French 98' Colour World premiere | Debut film | Documentary Form

With

  • Oscar-Roza Miller (Orlando)
  • Janis Sahraoui (Orlando)
  • Liz Christin (Orlando)
  • Elios Levy (Orlando)
  • Victor Marzouk (Orlando)
  • Paul B. Preciado (Orlando)
  • Kori Ceballos (Orlando)
  • Vanasay Khamphommala (Orlando)
  • Ruben Rizza (Orlando)
  • Julia Postollec (Orlando)
  • Amir Baylly (Orlando)
  • Naëlle Dariya (Orlando)
  • Jenny Bel’Air (Orlando)
  • Emma Avena (Orlando)
  • Lillie (Orlando)
  • Arthur (Orlando)
  • Eleonore (Orlando)
  • La Bourette (Orlando)
  • Noam Iroual (Orlando)
  • Iris Crosnier (Orlando)
  • Clara Deshayes (Orlando)
  • Castiel Emery (Sasha)
  • Fréderic Pierrot (Psychiatrist)
  • Nathan Callot (Armory Salesman)
  • Pierre et Gilles (Doctors)
  • Tristana Gray Martyr (Goddess of Hormones)
  • Le Filip (Goddess of Gender Fucking)
  • Miss Drinks (Goddess of Insurrection)
  • Tom Dekel (Receptionist)
  • Virginie Despentes (Judge)
  • Rilke & Pompom (Orlando's Dogs)

Crew

Director Paul B. Preciado
Screenplay Paul B. Preciado
Cinematography Victor Zebo
Editing Yotam Ben David
Music Clara Deshayes
Sound Design Olivier Goinard
Sound Arno Ledoux
Costumes Thomas Goudou, Caroline Spieth
Make-Up Elsa Gendre, Océane Lathuillière
Casting Naelle Dariya
Assistant Directors Julie Gouet, Anais Couette, Ugo Moulet, Anna Cohen-Yanai
Production Manager Annie Ohayon-Dekel
Producers Yaël Fogiel, Laetitia Gonzalez, Annie Ohayon-Dekel, Farid Rezkhallah

World Sales

The Party Film Sales

Produced by

Les Films du Poisson

24images

Photos

Paul B. Preciado

© Pierre et Gilles, Sunset on Uranus

The writer, philosopher and curator was born in Spain and lives in Paris. Considered one of the leading figures in the study of gender and body politics, his work includes the role of curator at documenta 14 and at the Taiwanese Pavilion of the 58th Venice Biennale in 2019. His books – which include “Countersexual Manifesto” and “Testo Junkie: Sex, Drugs, and Biopolitics in the Pharmacopornographic Era” – are key reference works in queer, trans and non-binary contemporary art and activism.

Filmography

2023 Orlando, ma biographie politique (Orlando, My Political Biography)

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2023