Executive Producer Dominique Jackson and Director Andrew Rasmussen bring Micky Angelo Petrillo’s remarkable story of transitioning at 59 to the festival September 11–13
Call Me Micky, the deeply personal documentary chronicling Micky Angelo Petrillo’s decision to begin his transition at age 59, has been selected for the Susquehanna LGBTQ Film Festival, taking place September 11–13, 2026.
Directed by Andrew Rasmussen and executive produced by Dominique Jackson, Call Me Micky tells a story about identity, transformation and the extraordinary possibilities that can emerge when someone finally decides to live life on their own terms.
At the heart of the documentary is a simple but powerful idea: it’s never too late to become yourself.
A native of Fort Lee, New Jersey, Petrillo spent decades hiding an essential part of himself before making the life-changing decision to transition at 59. Rasmussen’s film captures what happened next—not simply the challenges of transition, but the humor, relationships, community and unexpected joy that accompanied Petrillo’s decision to finally live openly.
“It’s about still choosing joy,” Petrillo has said of the project. “Because at the end of the day, if we can’t laugh… what’s the point?”
That sense of humor runs throughout Call Me Micky. Rather than presenting Petrillo’s experience as a conventional story of struggle, the documentary introduces audiences to the complete person behind the journey: funny, candid, vulnerable, outspoken and unmistakably Jersey.
The involvement of Dominique Jackson as executive producer adds another important voice to the project, while director Andrew Rasmussen brings Petrillo’s intensely personal story to the screen with an emphasis on its humanity, humor and emotional honesty.
Its selection for the Susquehanna LGBTQ Film Festival places Call Me Micky before an audience gathered to celebrate LGBTQ stories and independent filmmaking, giving Petrillo’s experience another platform at a moment when authentic transgender voices remain an important part of the cultural conversation.
Petrillo’s story also brings attention to an experience that receives far less screen time: transitioning later in life.
Popular culture frequently focuses on younger people discovering and expressing their identities, but Call Me Micky asks audiences to consider what happens when that moment comes decades later.
At 59, Petrillo wasn’t reaching the end of his story. In many ways, he was finally beginning it.
The documentary previously screened to a packed house in Jersey City on March 5. Its appearance at the Susquehanna LGBTQ Film Festival, September 11–13, gives a new audience the opportunity to experience Petrillo’s journey and the humor, heart and humanity behind it.
About Call Me Micky
Call Me Micky is a documentary featuring Micky Angelo Petrillo and chronicling his decision to transition at age 59 after decades of hiding his true self. Directed by Andrew Rasmussen and executive produced by Dominique Jackson, the film explores identity, courage, community, humor and the belief that it is never too late to become yourself.
About Micky Angelo Petrillo
Micky Angelo Petrillo is a transgender filmmaker and advocate from Fort Lee, New Jersey. Through film, public appearances, panels, conferences and community events, Petrillo speaks about transgender visibility, late-life transition and living authentically.
Watch the official trailer for Call Me Micky on YouTube:
Watch the Call Me Micky Official Trailer
Official Website:
Call Me Micky