Mutt

64th TIFF: Greek Premiere

When Feña completed his gender transition, he decided that his journey would be easier if he kept his distance from people and situations from his past. However, one beautiful morning, his ex, his younger sister, and his Chilean father all reappear in his life simultaneously. Set against the backdrop of a New York that diverges from cinematic stereotypes and draws from his personal experiences, the director captures the challenges and complexities that transgender individuals face in their daily lives and social bonds, even in seemingly ordinary circumstances. A directorial debut that is straightforward, humane, and unapologetically sincere, wholeheartedly embracing the pursuit of visibility, it provides greater momentum to 21st-century American independent cinema and brings to the forefront the talent of Lío Mehiel, a non-binary transgender individual of Greek heritage, who received an acting award at the Sundance Festival.

Screening Schedule

No physical screenings scheduled.

Direction: Vuk Lungulov-Klotz

Script: Vuk Lungulov-Klotz

Cinematography: Matthew Pothier

Editing: Adam Dicterow

Sound: Ash Knowlton

Actors: Lío Mehiel, Cole Doman, MiMi Ryder, Alejandro Goic

Production: Strange Animal

Producers: Alexander Stegmaier, Stephen Scott Scarpulla, Vuk Lungulov-Klotz, Jennifer Kuczaj, Joel Michaely

Co-production: Lucky 13 Productions, Spark Features

Costumes: Elena Lark

Production Design: Alanna Murray

Executive producer: Silas Howard, Sarah Herrman, Hannah D. Kettering, Susie Hile, Andrew Carlberg, Lucky 13 Productions, Spark Features

Format: DCP

Production Country: USA

Production Year: 2023

Duration: 87'

Contact: Best Friend Forever

Awards/Distinctions: U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award Acting, Special Mention of the Generation 14plus International Jury Best Film – Sundance FF 2023, New American Cinema Competition – Seattle IFF 2023

Vuk Lungulov-Klotz

Vuk Lungulov-Klotz (writer/director) has a culturally diverse upbringing. Born in New York City to Chilean and Serbian immigrants, he was raised between Chile, the US, and Serbia. With his feature film script, Mutt, he is an alum of the Sundance Institute Labs, the Inside Out Financing Forum, and was a top five finalist for the Tribeca / AT&T Untold Stories Grant. Vuk is also an alum of the Ryan Murphy HALF Initiative Program, where he completed a mentorship under director Janet Mock on the FX series Pose. His feature film debut, Mutt, premiered at 2023 Sundance Film Festival and had its international premiere at 2023 Berlinale Film Festival. As a transgender storyteller, Vuk hopes to expand queer narratives. His work focuses on intimate moments we often miss if we’re not looking close enough.