Pete is a true story about gender identity, Little League Baseball, people who inspire change by being themselves, and superheroes who allow change to happen.

Interview with Director/Producer/Animator Bret Parker and Writer Pete Barma

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

Thank you! Honestly, my wife, Pete Barma and I have been talking about writing and creating this story for a while, but at a time when the LGBTQ+ community has been so under attack, it seemed more important than ever for a message of love, support, acceptance of our community to get out into the world. We hope that maybe, it reminds us that we are not so different after all.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

There are many reasons to watch this film! It is a heartfelt and emotional film that will make you laugh and maybe cry, definitely root for Pete, and hopefully forget that we were ever very different from each other.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

Universal themes of parental support, acceptance and change are embedded in the film and necessary for the betterment of our society. These are all the personal truths Pete experienced and it is important for us to demonstrate that not only there are heroes around us, and kids truly often do know best.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

The process of writing the script and then turning that into the film has had a fun organic evolution. The story itself is an age-old one that Pete has told many times. In writing the script, however, we needed to dive deeper into the specifics as well as the emotion around what happened both at the gym and then later on the baseball field. Any time we started to run into a story note, I would just start asking more questions - how did the kids react when you started playing ball? Did they care that you were a girl? etc... Through the answers, it always seemed like we could see what were the most important story beats to focus on, and the film kept evolving from there. It was great talking to Pete's mom as well, and get her personal insight into what happened on the baseball field, and what she had sheltered Pete from back in the day.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

We have been overwhelmed by the positive response from audiences of all ages. I think the most powerful responses though, have been from the kids themselves, and especially those who see themselves in Pete.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

For me, the feedback has made me even more aware of how important it is to get our film, and films like ours that celebrate diversity out into the world. We've had really honest conversations with audience members who said our film made them step back and relook at their own conservative perspective and questions around gender identity. That surprised and amazed me, but also gave me hope that we can continue to use animation as a medium to tell "challenging" stories in a way that negates fear and opens doors to more conversations.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

We are looking to achieve visibility and representation for the LGBTQ+ community at a time when the world seems to be pushing back against our fundamental rights. And the same time, we are trying to promote our own visibility as queer filmmakers so we can continue to create authentic LGBTQ stories to a broader more inclusive audience.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

We are interested in journalists, to help promote the film itself, and buyers, distributors and sales agents so that we can get the film out there in the world on a platform where it won't be buried, at a time when it is more important than ever to promote positive LGBTQ+ films, and with the funding to be able to continue to write/produce new queer films.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

We would like it to have a positive impact on those who have been underrepresented, and at the same time to help use this film to create bridges and conversations that cross differences with the hope of eliminating barriers, diminishing fears and finding connections

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

Why does an individual's gender journey threaten you?

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

We are excited to be developing a feature-length queer coming-of-age story based on Pete. People just want to know what happens next!

Interview: May 2023

We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela

Pete

Pete is a true story about gender identity, Little League Baseball, people who inspire change by being themselves, and superheroes who allow change to happen.

Length: 7:00

Director: Bret Parker

Producer: Bret Parker and Jake Kaplan

Writer: Pete Barma

About the writer, director and producer:

BRET PARKER, co-founder of Artfarm Productions is a veteran in the film industry with 26 years at Pixar Animation Studios. Parker started her career in 1996 and has worked on many films, including the Oscar-winning Finding Nemo and The Incredibles. Parker directed and produced her first feature-length documentary, Through The Windows in 2019. She continues to bring her unique perspective as a queer female director to the screen with her latest film, Pete.

A self-described storyteller and co-founder of Artfarm Productions, PETE BARMA is a writer committed to bringing fresh stories from her perspective as a queer female to the screen. An award-winning out LGBTQ+ educator, she co-directed her first feature-length documentary, Through The Windows in 2019. Her current focus is the autobiographical screenplay Pete, which premiered at Tribeca in 2022. She continues to work on a series of queer stories.

Key cast: Pete Barma (Pete), Denise Barma (mom)

Looking for: sales agents, distributors and journalists

Facebook: Pete

Instagram: @petethefilm

Hashtags used: #petethefilm

Website: www.petethefilm.com

Funders: Self-funded

Where can I watch it next and in the coming month?

The Criterion Collective