Oftentimes, many trans films are about self-discovery and struggles during their transition. However, Death and Bowling is a story about grief, loss, and love.

With its premiere tomorrow night at Outfest 2021, the film is almost entirely with a transgender cast in both transgender and non-transgender roles, and by mostly transgender crew. The film marks the directorial feature debut for trans filmmaker Lyle Kash.

Here’s the official synopsis:

X is a white transgender actor who struggles with what it means to be seen, both as a representation of transgender identity on screen, and interpersonally as the beloved outsider to his queer community of amateur-bowling lesbians who meet as The Lavender League. When the captain of the Lavender League, Susan, asks X to speak at her funeral, X finds himself thrown into a time of not only intense grief but also desire. At the funeral, an unexpected and handsome stranger arrives. No one recognizes him. This is Alex, Susan’s estranged transgender son.

Alex and X inherit Susan’s hand-drawn map of her desired location for her ashes and lead their community through a hot and slow march across the desert. When the mourning party arrives, they discover that there’s nothing there. On their journey, X and Alex are joined by Arnie (Susan’s widow), who dons her dead lover’s wig, Gio (Arnie’s son and X’s confidante), who is a queer Tamil-Sri Lankan-American butcher, and Joyce (Susan’s best friend), who is a Black body-positive gym dominatrix, to make their way through the fragmented and dream-like fugue state that follows Susan’s death.

The cast includes Will Krisanda, Tracy Kowalski, Faith Bryan, Leontine White Foster, Denise Turken, and D’Lo.

ALSO CHECK OUT: Jack C. Newell on Grieving Road Trip Comedy with Monuments [Exclusive Interview]

LRM Online’s Gig Patta had a conversation with writer and director Lyle Kash on his directorial debut. We talked about the story, production, and fostering inexperienced actors into their dramatic roles.

Lyle Kash is a queer white transgender filmmaker originally from Greenwich, Connecticut. In 2018, he formed T4T Productions, a collection of artists committed to putting trans people in front and behind the camera. He seeks to develop transgender cinema through an experimental approach in casting, camera work, and performance style.

Death and Bowling premieres at Outfest 2021 tomorrow, August 15, at 11:30 a.m. at DGA1 in Los Angeles. The film is available for online streaming during the festival 48 hours after the DGA world premiere screening.

Watch the exclusive interview with Lyle Kash below. Let us know what you think of it.

Source: LRM Online Exclusive, Outfest 2021