No Dumb Questions

Essentially a home movie that records the reaction of three girls--aged 6, 9, and 11--to the news that their Uncle Bill is having a sex-change operation and will soon be visiting as Aunt Barbara, filmmaker Melissa Regan's No Dumb Questions is a half-hour-shy video mostly consisting of the youngsters discussing their feelings about the situation before the camera (often debating with one another about the meaning of words or the significance of what's happening), coupled with sequences of their parents setting the stage and offering their observations. In the end, viewers see what happens when Aunt Barbara makes her first appearance in the family's home, followed by the girls' varied responses. Boasting a charming spontaneity (the children are certainly engaging and personable), the film effectively raises issues of gender, identity, and tolerance, making it a potentially valuable tool for classrooms and discussion groups. Unfortunately, this is technically mediocre (roughly on a par with typical vacation footage), and it would have been nice to hear Barbara's comments directly rather than having them relayed through the parents. Optional. Aud: H, C, P. (F. Swietek)