New York, NY, July 1, 2005 – Sundance Channel will premiere the original series “TransGeneration” on Tuesday September 20th at 9:00pm, with each episode airing Tuesdays at 9:00pm through November 8th. Produced by World of Wonder for Sundance Channel in association with MTVN’s Logo, “TransGeneration” looks at the daily lives of four college students who are undergoing a gender transition. The series will also air on Logo in first quarter 2006.
The eight-episode series follows the students at four different colleges over the course of the 2004/05 school year, capturing their triumphs and setbacks as they balance the challenges of academia, campus life, and family with their commitment to gender reassignment. The subjects are spread across the country, at campuses in the Northeast (Massachusetts), the Midwest (Michigan), and the West (Colorado and California). Through the stories of these four students, their friends, families and communities, “TransGeneration” highlights a growing phenomenon: that gender identity is being confronted by a younger generation.

“This series is a moving portrait of four fascinating people at a dramatic time in their lives. “TransGeneration” also offers an engaging first-hand look at the current trend on college campuses of confronting gender issues and politics head-on,” said Laura Michalchyshyn, Executive Vice President Programming and Marketing, Sundance Channel, “Sundance Channel is very proud of this series and looks forward to continuing strong relationships with our partners World of Wonder and Logo.”

Transgeneration Trailer
Transgeneration Trailer, WMP, Large

Gabbie gets laser hair removal
Clip - 'Gabbie gets laser hair removal', WMP, Large


"Battle of the Sexes" at Lucas & Kasey's
Clip - 'Battle of the Sexes at Lucas & Kasey's', WMP, Large


Are the hormones making Raci moody?
Clip - 'Are the hormones making Raci moody?', WMP, Large


Racy explains tucking
Clip - 'Racy explains tucking', WMP, Large


Racy drives to San Francisco - extended
Clip - 'Racy drives to San Francisco - extended', WMP, Large


Lucas & Kasey cam: in the car
Clip - 'Lucas & Kasey cam: in the car', WMP, Large


Cate does laundry
Clip - 'Cate does laundry', WMP, Large


Lucas buys Kasey flowers - extended
Clip - 'Lucas buys Kasey flowers - extended', WMP, Large


Raci and friends discuss the "bike-out"
Clip - 'Raci and friends discuss the bike-out', WMP, Large

Descriptions and airtimes for the first four episodes are below:

Tuesday September 20th at 9:00pm
Episode 1 - It is the start of the school year. At the University of Colorado at Boulder, sophomore Gabbie is cheerfully out as a male-to-female transgender person; after an isolated freshman year, she has begun making friends in the school’s gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender (GLBT) community. At Smith College in Massachusetts, neuroscience major Lucas is in the process of re-evaluating his wants and needs as a male-identified transgender person; with his senior year underway, he has begun to doubt the wisdom of further postponing the medical treatments that will make his body match his mind. At Michigan State University, graduate student and Fulbright scholar T.J. has come into his own as a female-to-male transgender person and political activist; but a tense phone call with his mother in Cyprus is a sharp reminder that his family and the Armenian community back home expect him to be Tamar. At California State University, Los Angeles, hearing-impaired freshman Raci grapples with the realities of living away from her mother as well as maintaining the high GPA that her four-year scholarship requires. Raci keeps her male-to-female transgender identity a secret on campus, and only her transgender friend and fellow student Apple knows that she wasn’t born a girl.

Tuesday September 27th at 9:00pm
Episode 2 – Gabbie has begun literally counting off the days until her scheduled sexual reassignment surgery (SRS), and hormone therapy continues to make a big difference in her day-to-day life. Raci is also buoyed by hormone therapy, but relies on a street dealer since she can’t afford a doctor. Lucas visits his mother and brother in Oklahoma, and they become the first family members to learn of his decision to begin hormone treatment. Unable to pursue medical treatment because of family opposition, T.J. has found different ways to express his masculinity, including drag performance.

Tuesday October 4th at 9:00pm
Episode 3 – Gabbie has found a new friend and confidante in Cate, an aspiring circus artist who has also begun transitioning from male to female with hormones. Raci, still struggling with finances and missed hormone treatments, has an emotional visit with her mother and aunts in Northern California. Returning from Oklahoma, Lucas wrestles with how to tell his father about his decision to begin transitioning. And T.J., after looking back on his life as Tamar, decides to reach out to his mother and sister back in Cyprus.

Tuesday October 11th at 9:00pm
Episode 4 – Gabbie spends Christmas vacation with her grandparents, a retired Presbyterian minister and his wife. T.J. plans a spring visit home to Cyprus, and it quickly become apparent that there will be issues with his mother. Feeling lonely and isolated in her rented room in East L.A., Raci inquires about dorm housing before leaving for a family celebration in San Francisco. And a memorable celebration takes place, as Lucas reaches a long-anticipated milestone: his first hormone shot.

The director and supervising producer of “TransGeneration” is Jeremy Simmons, whose credits include the television documentaries “School’s Out: The Life of a Gay High School in Texas” (a GLAAD Award nominee for Outstanding Documentary) which aired on MTV and AMC’s “Gay Hollywood.” An emerging talent who won several awards as a student filmmaker, Simmons has worked extensively as a film and television editor, and his credits include the recent feature documentary Inside Deep Throat and the drama Party Monster. “TransGeneration” is produced by Thairin Smothers and executive produced by award-winning filmmakers Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, founders of film and television production company World of Wonder. As directors/producers, their credits include the documentaries Behind Deep Throat, The Eyes of Tammy Faye, and Party Monster: The Michael Alig Story, as well as the 2003 drama Party Monster.

Executive producers for Sundance Channel are Laura Michalchyshyn and Adam Pincus; Ann Rose is supervising producer. Executive Producers for Logo are Lauren Lazin and Eileen Opatut.
Based in both Los Angeles and London, World of Wonder is best known for award-winning films and documentaries such as The Eyes of Tammy Faye, Party Monster (both Sundance Film Festival favorites) "Monica in Black and White" (HBO) and "The Hidden Fuhrer" (Cinemax). World of Wonder has a long and distinguished track record making sensitive and engaging films about sex and sexuality from "Gay Hollywood" (AMC) to "Schools Out" (MTV) to "Plushies and Furries" (MTV). Most recently World of Wonder have created and produced the hit series "Show Biz Moms and Dads" and the popular sequel "Show Dog Moms & Dads" for Bravo. World of Wonder has also produced and created numerous documentaries and non-fiction programs for Court TV, VH1, MTV and A&E in the States, as well as BBC, Channel 4, Channel 5 and ITV in the UK. Co-founders Randy Barbato and Fenton Bailey recently wrote and directed "Inside Deep Throat," a feature documentary about the classic adult film. More information about World of Wonder can be found on the WOW Report daily blog, www.worldofwonder.net.

Logo, MTVN’s new ad-supported basic cable channel for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) audience, launches June 30 with more than one thousand hours of programming content and in approximately 10 million homes across the United States. Programmed with a mix of original and acquired entertainment that is authentic, smart and inclusive, Logo features more than 200 lesbian and gay films, an ongoing documentary series, newscasts tailored for the gay and lesbian community and quality original shows and specials.
Under the creative direction of Robert Redford, Sundance Channel is the television destination for independent-minded viewers seeking something different. Bold, uncompromising and irreverent, Sundance Channel offers audiences a diverse and engaging selection of films, documentaries, and original programs, all uncut and commercial free. Launched in 1996, Sundance Channel is a venture among NBC Universal, Robert Redford, and Showtime Networks Inc. Sundance Channel operates independently of the non-profit Sundance Institute and the Sundance Film Festival, but shares the overall Sundance mission of encouraging artistic freedom of expression. Sundance Channel’s website address is www.sundancechannel.com.