By Dakota Parks for Inweekly
Ariel Mahler is an award-winning writer and director whose work explores the emotional and messy complexities of queer and trans characters reclaiming space in worlds where they often feel adrift in orbit. Originally from the East Coast and now based in Los Angeles, Mahler is driven to tell stories about misfits and weirdos seeking authenticity through human connection.
As a graduate of the American Film Institute (AFI), Mahler made their mark directing deeply resonant films that showcase a diverse cast and crew while delving into the nuances of trans experiences. Most recently, her documentary “Evan Ever After” won the Best Documentary Short at the 2023 Stamped Film Festival, and Mahler’s accolades far exceed the word count allotted here.
Mahler will return to Pensacola for this year’s Stamped, where her film “Re-Entry” will make its local debut. The film tells the story of a trans scientist confronting her past after rediscovering a lost satellite from her time at NASA.
INWEEKLY: Given the film industry’s well-known gender imbalance and the underrepresentation of female and trans directors, what drew you to directing, producing and writing films?
MAHLER: For as long as I can remember, I’ve been creating make-believe characters and worlds in my head. Growing up, I struggled to belong. As a young, closeted trans person, I was expected to behave in a certain way, to perform a specific type of “masculinity,” and when I couldn’t meet those narrow social expectations, I was often ostracized for my femininity. Storytelling became my sanctuary. As a proud trans woman and a filmmaker, I’m driven to tell stories of characters searching for meaning and freedom through their connection with others. I’m drawn to characters who don’t belong in the world they were assigned, who try—and often fail—to fill the void of loneliness through intimate relationships, be they romantic, community or otherwise.
INWEEKLY: In your filmmaking process, how do you ensure the stories of marginalized communities are told with both sensitivity and strength?
MAHLER: Whenever I approach a film, I aim to work with as many LGBTQ+ artists as I can, both in front of and behind the lens. I’m proud to say that all of the films I made while studying at AFI centered queer and/or trans characters and were spearheaded by women and trans folks in key crew positions. My thesis film, “Re-Entry,” was the first in AFI history to have both a trans director and trans cinematographer and was one of the first to feature a trans protagonist. On non-male-dominated sets, my collaborators and I are able to remove the burden that we’re forced to carry in a patriarchal world, allowing us to fully focus on the artistry.
INWEEKLY: While at AFI, you directed both experimental films and deeply resonant stories about the trans experience, such as “Egg Crack” and “t4t.” How did these projects influence your perspective as a director and storyteller?
MAHLER: As I continue to make work about queer and trans people, I’ve identified a spectrum of storytelling. On one end are stories where trans identity is the central point of the story, often involving coming out or self-acceptance. On the other end are stories where characters themselves may be queer and/or trans, but their identities are never mentioned. I am continually searching for where I want my own work to fall within that spectrum. “t4t” and “Egg Crack” are both trans stories, and making those films helped bring me closer to finding my own voice. Making films that center trans characters always helps to remind me that trans people are as unique and individual as humanity itself. I think it’s a mistake to aim to tell a trans story that universally represents the trans experience—we are not a monolith.
INWEEKLY: You often work in both narrative and documentary formats. How do you decide which form best suits the story you’re telling, and do you feel drawn more to one than the other?
MAHLER: I definitely find myself more naturally drawn to narrative storytelling; however, I loved making my most recent documentary “Evan Ever After,” and I would absolutely do it again if the opportunity presented itself. They’re such different forms of storytelling. Narrative filmmaking is a more generative process—you’re building the story from the ground up in order to serve the wider purpose of exploring a specific theme or message. With documentary filmmaking, the story already exists, and your job is to unearth it and help shape it—to find the deeper themes within the real-life truth.
INWEEKLY: In your short film “Re-Entry,” your protagonist, a trans scientist, confronts her past after rediscovering a lost satellite from her time at NASA. What inspired you to write and tell this story about reconciling one’s past and identity?
MAHLER: It was my cinematographer, Maryn McGaw, who sent me a TikTok video of a scientist, explaining a very real phenomenon known as a zombie satellite. These are satellites that were launched several decades ago, and for one reason or another, stopped communicating with Earth, often becoming trapped in the wrong orbit, and essentially dying altogether. Decades later, some of these satellites begin mysteriously communicating once more, emerging from the dead—hence the name ‘zombie’ satellite.
When I first learned about this beautiful scientific occurrence, I immediately thought about the direct trans parallel—getting ‘lost in the wrong orbit,’ communication systems, breaking down as we learn to reinvent ourselves, and the process of re-emerging as a new, true version of who we have always been. I think many queer people have a unique and complex relationship to the passage of time. We try to make sense of past trauma and the ways our freedoms were constrained, and we fight to reconcile who we once were with who we’ve always been.
INWEEKLY: What kind of legacy do you hope your work will leave in terms of representation, both within the trans community and in the broader film world?
MAHLER: As much as I talk about trans stories and queer representation, I also have to recognize that such discussions can also be limiting. When we overly focus on queer films existing only for the sake of representation alone, we can inadvertently end up devaluing the work of the artist. I hope that we’re moving toward a place where queer and trans films can exist because of the merit of their stories, the strength of their characters and the power of their visual storytelling techniques. So, when I think about my own legacy, I want to be known as something more than just a trans filmmaker. I want my work to be valued because it impacted someone, because it made someone feel less alone or because it reframed someone’s idea of how to see the world.
INWEEKLY: On that same note, what advice would you give to younger trans and queer creatives?
MAHLER: The biggest piece of advice I can offer any young creative person, especially those who are queer and trans, is to just create, create, create. Obviously, it takes a lot of money and people to actually make a film, but writing is free, and if you have a basic smart phone, you can film short scenes with a group of friends. The best way to improve your skill set and to find your voice as an artist is to keep making work, and most importantly, to not overly criticize the work that you have made. Nobody’s first few pieces of writing are ever very good.
INWEEKLY: Are there any current projects in the works that you’re excited about? I saw the Seed&Spark video for “Uneven,” which looks like a tender and nuanced exploration of polyamory—an area that you mentioned is finally starting to receive more complex representation in media.
MAHLER: Yes! The next short film I directed, “Uneven,” is currently in post-production and should be hitting the festival circuit in early 2025. The film stars and was written by John Brodsky. “Uneven” is a nonlinear exploration of longing and regret, told through the lens of a queer, non-monogamous relationship. The story follows Tom and Max, a once profoundly in-love gay couple, who are driven apart by differences in their relationship orientations. The narrative unfolds over two parallel timelines: the present, where Tom and Max’s relationship has reached a breaking point, and the past, where we see the choices that led to this tumultuous time. The film’s nonlinearity evokes the ways in which memory burns into our brains, exploring how the smallest suggestions can send us reeling back, yearning to relive lost moments. To follow the film’s progress, find us on Instagram @unevenfilm.
Ariel Mahler
arielmahler.com, IG @arielmahler
“Re-Entry” will be screening at Stamped on Saturday, Oct. 5 during the 2:20-3:10 p.m. short film block.
*This Q&A was edited for length and clarity.