Alexis Mitchell

Bugs and Beasts Before the Law

Bugs and Beasts Before the Law explores the history and legacy of the “animal trials” that took place in medieval Europe, in which animals—and other non-humans, such as insects and inanimate objects— were put on trial for various crimes and offences, ranging from trespassing and thievery, to assault and murder. This history of colonial law-making forged political and sometimes profane relation- ships between humans and animals. Bambitchell’s essayistic film reimagines common perceptions of legal history and, in doing so, produces a world where past and present, fiction and non-fiction, human and animal fuse.

Gabey and Mike: A Jewish Summer Camp Love Story

A whimsical musical documentary inspired by the music of Mermaid Café (1989-1990).

Stealth

By merging hidden camera footage from a patient’s hysterectomy, with interviews of the objects used in these procedures and spaces, Stealth poignantly and humorously mobilizes ‘sousveillance’ to subvert the perspective of surveilling machinery. Through a triangulation of corporeal, medical and military technologies, Stealth provocatively points to previously unexplored histories and relationships between inanimate objects and human bodies.

The Break

The Break is an experimental and performance-based documentary that focuses on the idea of the "break" (the voice as a site of transgression and inherent queerness, as theorized by Wayne Koestenbaum). Mitchell juxtaposes old and new footage from popular (Canadian) tween singer Justin Bieber, professional operatic performances, and YouTube clips and interviews with trans activists as a way to explore the relationship between gender and the singing voice in Western societies.

Rubb My Chubb: Fat Activism and the Fat Femme Mafia

This short documentary follows the Fat Femme Mafia, their fat co-conspirators and allies in the days leading up to their first and highly anticipated event. Through interviews, asides, and performances, "Rubb My Chubb" lays the groundwork for these fierce fatties to continue to make their politics known to the rest of the world. Since then, FFM have graced the cover of Xtra! Magazine, MTV, The Toronto Star, and many Pride performance stages, and the appetite for these luscious ladies continues to grow and grow.