195 LEWIS is a dramedy series about a group of women navigating the realities of being Black, queer, and poly in New York City. Based in Brooklyn, the series follows Yuri and Camille as they test the boundaries of their open relationship. Yuri’s growing infatuation with a new lover leaves Camille distressed, which is only amplified by the unexpected arrival of Yuri’s old college friend Kris, who shows up with nowhere else to stay. Director Chanelle Aponte Pearson and writer Rae Leone Allen will be in attendance.

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At first glance, they seem unlikely gang-bangers. Some of the boys wear lipstick and mascara, some stilettos. They carry Louis Vuitton bags, but they also carry knives, brass knuckles and mace. As vulnerable gay and transgender youth, they’ve been shot, stabbed, and raped. Once victims, they’venow turned the tables, beating people into comas and stabbing enemies with ice picks. Started in 2009 by a group of bullied 9th graders, today these 14-22 year old gang members all have rap sheets riddled with assault, armed robbery, and drug dealing charges. Led by an ex-convict named Mo, Check It members are now creating their own clothing label, putting on fashion shows and working stints as runway models. But breaking the cycle of poverty and violence they’ve grown up in is a daunting task. Life for the Check It can be brutal, but—it’s also full of hope and an indomitable resilience. At its heart, CHECK IT explores the undying friendship that exists between these kids—an unbreakable bond that is tested every day as they fight to stand up for who they are in a community relentlessly trying to beat them down. CHECK IT is about a gay African-American gang struggling to survive in one of Washington D.C.’s roughest neighborhoods through an unlikely avenue: fashion.

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In most years, it's a challenge for the festival to program trans films for two reasons: there are so few of them, and many of them tend to overly focus on the physical aspects of transition. Not this year! This year's films have trans folks doing more than transitioning: they're traveling the world, following their hearts, fighting for justice, running for office, loving and being loved, fighting fires, and standing up for themselves and one another.

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