Why Can’t I Be Me? Around You
Renowned Art Car artist Harrod Blank’s camera-covered van breaks down near Albuquerque, NM. The only mechanic capable of fixing it is local drag racer and machining savant Russell “Rusty” Tidenberg. Rusty recently began to transition by getting breasts. While Rusty works, Harrod learns that Rusty’s boss (father) cut his pay, his biker friends rejected him, and women won’t date him now. Struck by his story, Harrod films Rusty for eight years. Other gender-non-binary Art Car artists that Harrod meets shed further light on gender identity in America. The film follows Rusty on this difficult journey of embracing and exhibiting both genders, while still hoping for acceptance, and love.
By Harrod Blank and Sjoerd Dijk
2019
93 Minutes
REVIEWS
PAST SCREENINGS
- World Premiere at SXSW March 11, 2019
- Salem Film Festival, Salem MA March 31, 2019
- Ashland Independent Film Festival, Ashland OR April 11-14
- Mill Valley Film Festival October 5 & 12, 2019