Raval, PJ
PJ Raval’s work has been showcased at Sundance Cannes. He’s been awarded the ASC Charles B. Heritage Award and the Haskell Wexler Award Best Cinematography. He was featured in American Cinematographer and shot the 2009 Academy Award–nominated and 2008 Sundance Film Festival Documentary Grand Jury winner Trouble the Water.
Official selection of Los Angeles Film Festival, Woodstock Film Festival, Starz Denver Film Festival, Independent Film Fest Boston, Inside Out Toronto, and Outfest Film Festival
“Trinidad succeeds in presenting the materials for a better understanding of transsexual people and stands to be very instrumental in making the world outside of Trinidad, Colorado, a safer place for them to live.” —Film Threat
“The universal themes and the compelling narrative quality of the film make it a must-see.” —Ellen Huang, Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD)
“Who knew that Trinidad, Colorado, with a population of 9,000 was the sex change capital of the world? This documentary about the small town follows several of its transgender residents, including Dr. Marci Bowers—who is herself now one of the world’s top doctors for reassignment surgery—capturing the subtle moments of people whose whole lives are love in various states of performance and nuance.” —The Advocate
“Fascinating. Avoiding ‘before and after’ sensationalism, filmmakers raval and hodges trace the women’s personal stories with curiosity and sensitivity, using quaint, rural Trinidad as a mountain-girdled backdrop.” —Austin American-Statesman
A thought-provoking examination of the lives of three transgender women—surgeon, rocket scientist, and physician—whose paths cross in smalltown Colorado
Trinidad uncovers Trinidad, Colorado’s transformation from Wild West outpost to “sex change capital of the world,” and follows three transgender women who may steer the rural ranching town toward becoming the “transsexual mecca.”Each woman has her own perspective on the procedure and on the very definition of “transgender,” underscoring the diversity and vibrancy of the transgender community as a whole. The film also examines the perspectives of the people who live in the small Western frontier town and their often surprising views.