Catalogue > At random

“April” is a short experimental film inspired by the life of April Ashley, one of the first British to un¬dergo sex reassignment surgery on 12 May 1960, performed in Casablanca, Morocco, by doctor Georges Burou. After returning to Britain, Ashley began using the name April Ashley and became a successful fashion model, appearing in such publications as Vogue (photographed by David Bailey and winning a small role in the film “The Road to Hong Kong” directed by Norman Panama. After a friend sold her story to the media, in 1961 under the headline “’Her’ secret is out”, the Sunday People outed Ashley as a trans woman. She became a centre of attention and some scandal, and her film credit was instantly dropped. The scandal forced to live abroad for several years. She was given legal status as a woman only in 2006.

Pamela Breda is an artist and filmmaker living between London and New York. She was recipient of several art awards and fellowships, including the Sirovich Family Fellowship (Pratt Institute, USA), Simultan Art Prize (PL), Cantica21 (IT), Italian Council Award (IT), Mo¬ving’Up Prize (IT), Italian Institute of Culture (RU). Her films have been screened internationally and presented at festivals and art venues such as “ECRA Film Festival” (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), “Revolutions Per Minute Festival” (Boston, USA), “Digital Film Library”, Clermont- Fer¬rand Film Festival (Clermont-Ferrand, F), Cite Internatinale Des Arts, (Paris, F), “Vision Du Reel” Film Festival, Media Li¬brary (Nyon, CH), “Hazel Eye Film Festival” (Tennesse, USA), “The Bomb Art Factory Film Festival” (London, UK), Sohonya Art Center (Bangalore, I), Francesco Fabbri Foundation for Contemporary Art (Pieve di Soligo, IT), Bevilacqua La Masa Foundation (Venice, IT).