Ania Augustowska to Release New Documentary DONNIE - A TRANSGENDER MAN'S STORY

To celebrate Pride Month, San Francisco based filmmaker Ania Augustowska (she/her) and Donnie The Film, LLC are thrilled to release to the public their new documentary "Donnie - A Transgender Man's Story" featuring trans actor and producer, Donnie Cianciotto (he/they.)

"Donnie - A Transgender Man's Story" began filming in 2015 and centers around the experiences of NYC native, Donnie Cianciotto. In the film's beginning, Cianciotto is early on in his medical transition and running a theater company in Tucson, Arizona. We watch as he auditions for and then subsequently gets the role of transgender character Sam in Southern Comfort (dir. Tom Caruso) at The Public Theater, moves back to New York City, and eventually creates the all trans, non-binary, and gender non-comforming Trans Voices Cabaret which ran for 3 years at The Duplex prior to the pandemic and has since maintained an online presence. Over this time, Cianciotto also contends with obstacles to trans-related healthcare and discrimination, finds love, and shares his experiences growing up while knowing he was different. The film also features heartwarming interviews with members of Cianciotto's family and close friends, as well as footage from performances with Trans Voices Cabaret and Musical Mayhem Cabaret (AZ.)

"I'm very grateful for the opportunity to have this beautifully made snapshot of this time in my life," Cianciotto says, "and although there are moments of struggle, Ania's film definitely focuses on overcoming those obstacles and celebrating our authentic selves. It's refreshing to see trans joy on screen, and I hope this movie will reach the people who need to see it the most."

In 2017, a 10 minute version of the documentary won filmmaker Augustowska a Rocky Mountain Emmy Award. "Donnie - A Transgender Man's Story" is available to stream on Vimeo at www.vimeo.com/ondemand/donnietransgenderfilm.

For more information, please visit www.facebook.com/DonnieFilm. For more information on Cianciotto, please visit ​www.donniecianciotto.wixsite.com/actor, or @thedonniecianciotto on Instagram.For more information on Trans Voices Cabaret, please visit www.transvoicescabaret.com, @transvoicescabaret on Instagram, or email transvoicescabaret@gmail.com.

BIO

DONNIE CIANCIOTTO (he/them) is a transmasculine performer, director, writer, and the creator of Trans Voices Cabaret. He attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, and made his off-Broadway debut in Southern Comfort at The Public Theater. He is active in the cabaret scene having performed at 54 Below, The Cutting Room, The Town Hall, Birdland, Le Poisson Rouge, and The Duplex. He appears in Broadway For Orlando's What The World Needs Now music video, and has been featured in multiple videos for NowThis, and VICE News. He has appeared on several panels including BroadwayCon and #IdentityWeek, as well as several podcasts and virtual panels including The SHO Must Go On...line, Brain Lab, and more where he has spoken about trans visibility and representation in the theater community, which is a cause very dear to him.

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