ABOUT THE FILM

LONG SYNOPSIS

For decades, the life of American Jazz musician Billy Tipton was framed as the story of an ambitious woman passing as a man in pursuit of a music career. In NO ORDINARY MAN, Tipton’s story is re-imagined and performed by trans artists as they collectively paint a portrait of an unlikely hero. Together, the filmmakers join Tipton’s son Billy Jr. to reckon with a complicated and contested legacy: how do you tell the story of someone who was hiding in plain sight yet desperate to be seen?

NO ORDINARY MAN is an in-depth look at the life of musician and trans culture icon Billy Tipton. Complicated, beautiful and historically unrivaled, this groundbreaking film shows what is possible when a community collaborates to honor the legacy of an unlikely hero.

Directors Aisling Chin-Yee, Chase Joynt

Writers Aisling Chin-Yee, Amos Mac

Producer Sarah Spring

Editor Aisling Chin-Yee

Cinematographer Léna Mill-Reuillard

Sound Lynne Trépanier, Marie-Pierre Grenier

FESTIVALS
2020: Toronto International (World Premiere), Vancouver International, Calgary International, Montreal International Documentary, AFIFEST, DOC NYC, Inside Out Toronto

AWARDS
Best Canadian Film (Inside Out Toronto)

AVAILABLE TERRITORIES
The World except Canada

EXHIBITION FORMATS
DCP, Blu-Ray, Digital Download