On Saturday, 10/28, at 7 pm, join the Emily Taylor Center for Women & Gender Equity and the Department of Film & Media Studies for a Feminist Fright Fest screening of Dressed to Kill followed by a panel discussion "Trans Perspectives on a Horror Trope" featuring:

• Logan-Ashley Kisner

• Jo Sabus

• Jane Waters

• Isaac Thomas (Moderator)

ABOUT THE FILM

In Brian De Palma's thriller Dressed to Kill (R, 1980, 1 hr 44 mins), Manhattan therapist Dr. Robert Elliott faces the most terrifying situation of his life, when a mysterious blonde woman begins attacking the women in his life with a straight razor stolen from his office. 

Content advisory: Violence, transmisogyny 

ABOUT THE PANELISTS

Logan-Ashley Kisner (he/him) is a film historian and upcoming novelist based out of Las Vegas, Nevada. He graduated from UNLV in 2023 with a Bachelor's in Creative Writing and a minor in Film Studies. His work primarily concerns tracking the history and analyzing the representation of transgender characters in horror films, loosely canonized as "trans horror."

Jo Sabus (they/them) is a freelance writer and 2020 KU alum with a degree in Film & Media Studies. Their fascination with the horror genre is rooted in creature features and how monsters are used as cautionary tales, social commentary, and potent metaphors for real human experience. Jo’s video essay "A Cinematic History of the Lady Werewolf" is featured as part of Feminist Fright Fest’s 2020 Quarantine Edition playlist on the Emily Taylor Center’s YouTube channel. Jo also participated in last year's Feminist Fright Fest as a featured panelist during a post-screening discussion of the 2007 horror film Teeth. 

Jane Waters (she/her) is a trans film writer, podcaster, and poet. She hosts the Pacino Pod podcast with Kalie McAlexander, a podcast dedicated to the filmography of Al Pacino, and has guested on other film podcasts such as Hit Factory and Have You Seen This? She has also recently contributed history and background information to Liberty Hall’s special screenings of Dog Day Afternoon. She received her undergraduate degree in Film & Media Studies from the University of Kansas in 2015 and Masters in Library Science from Wayne State University in 2020.

Moderator Isaac Johnson (he/him & they/them & ze/zir) is a genderqueer trans man and horror film lover. He has participated in Feminist Fright Fest since its inception in 2018 when he was a featured discussant in a post-screening conversation about Brian De Palma's classic film Carrie. He also contributed "Angela is Beautiful," an essay on Sleepaway Camp, to Horror & Gender, the fourth annual festival's collaborative zine project and program. Isaac graduated from KU in 2020 with a BA in Linguistics and is a current Ichabod. Isaac was a part of the No SB 180 in Lawrence campaign this past summer and is a current member of the Trans Lawrence Coalition. Outside of horror movies and trans issues, Isaac is interested in 20th-century history and creative fiction.

FEMINIST FRIGHT FEST

Throughout October, the Emily Taylor Center for Women & Gender Equity hosts the annual Feminist Fright Fest with the support of our campus and community partners. Through Feminist Fright Fest, we aim to provide a platform for horror filmmakers who are women, femmes, and people of marginalized gender identities; to explore the horror genre through an intersectional feminist lens; and to offer Halloween-themed programs and community events with a feminist bent. Special thanks to the Lawrence Public Library for its continuous support of Feminist Fright Fest since its creation in 2018. Follow the Fest on Instagram at @feministfrightfest.  

ACCOMMODATIONS

Emily Taylor Center for Women & Gender Equity welcomes and encourages people with disabilities to attend our events. Please email emilytaylorcenter@ku.edu with any accessibility questions or accommodation requests.