Image+Nation
Any Other Way: the Jackie Shane Story

Any Other Way: the Jackie Shane Story

MICHAEL MABBOTT + LUCAH ROSENBERG-LEE | CANADA | 2024 | 99 MIN | ENGLISH FST

MICHAEL MABBOTT + LUCAH ROSENBERG-LEE | CANADA | 2024 | 99 MIN | ENGLISH FST

DocumentaryI+N ConnexeMADE AU CANADAA Question of Gender

Presented by

National Film Board Canada Media Fund

Synopsis

Whether wowing 1960s nightclub audiences with her vocal prowess or vanishing from the scene in a haze of rumours, Jackie Shane never failed to leave her mark. Through recorded conversations with the boundary-bursting yet reclusive icon, and the magic of ghostly, gorgeous rotoscope animation, Jackie is restored to us. Encouraged to leave Jim Crow-era Nashville by Joe Tex so that her talent could soar, Jackie Shane brought her R&B sound and daring charisma to adoring fans everywhere from mafia-controlled Montreal to her beloved Toronto, getting kidnapped and turning down a transphobic Ed Sullivan Show offer along the way. Close friends with Little Richard and an opener for the likes of Etta James and Marvin Gaye, Jackie Shane was an It girl in a time when using “she/her” seemed unthinkable. So she had a choice: global superstardom or her own hard-earned authenticity. This is the story of that choice, told through Jackie’s own words, vibrant reenactments, and assessments by contemporary trans figures, with music as the film’s soul. Executive produced by Elliot Page, Any Other Way is a triumph of the documentary form—as polished and impressive as Jackie herself.

Trailer

Filmmaker Bio

Lucah Rosenberg-Lee is an independent filmmaker, speaker and entrepreneur based in Toronto. He was adopted from the Dominican Republic by a family in the Queen City, where he developed a love of activism through filmmaking and a passion for telling stories about the most marginalised people. Lucah has produced and directed various film projects, including Passing and For Nonna Anna, which screened at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and Sundance. He specializes in documentaries and LGBTQ+ content, bringing unique stories to life, including his own.

Filmmaker Bio

Michael Mabbott is a Toronto-based filmmaker. His first feature film, The Life and Hard Times of Guy Terrifico (2005), which he wrote and directed, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), where it was acclaimed by audiences and critics alike, in addition to receiving the award for Best Canadian First Feature. His second feature, Citizen Duane (2007), also premiered at TIFF. Michael co-created and directed the comedy series The Yard for HBO Canada/TMN/Movie Central, for which he was also executive producer.

Producer

Amanda Burt, Sam Dunn, Michael Mabbott, Scot McFyden, Justine Pimlot

Writer

Michael Mabbott, Lucah Rosenberg-Lee, Alison Duke

Cinematographer

Adam Crosby

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PARTNERS

National Film Board Canada Media Fund

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