Louise welcomes Ali Weinstein, the director of the documentary Mermaids. She draws from a variety of mer subculture figures, including trans Julz and abuse survivor Cookie, whose interests with mer-bodily expressions help them deal with their heartache and senses of loss. The film includes an encounter with Robert Short, who made Daryl Hannah’s tail for the film Splash, and he notes a term for the reactions of mermaid entrants when they first put on their fins as mergasm. There will be screenings of Mermaids from July 14-20 at the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema.

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