“You stand in the presence of a legend,” famed author and activist Janet Mock tells a cheering audience in the opening scene of the documentary “Mama Gloria.”
Mock is referring to Gloria Allen, a 75-year-old icon in Chicago’s LGBTQ community who started a charm school for homeless trans youth and famously said: “The only time I ever went in a closet was to pick out a pair of shoes.”
“Mama Gloria” is having its N.C. premiere at this year’s CineOdyssey Film Festival, an annual three-day event showcasing diverse, contemporary films from communities around the world that are reflected in Charlotte.