Funny, fearless, and bursting with personality, Andrew Rasmussen’s documentary introduces one of the most unexpectedly entertaining characters on the independent film festival circuit.
Hollywood spends millions creating memorable characters. Andrew Rasmussen found one running a business in New Jersey.
His name is Micky Angelo Petrillo, and he may be one of the most refreshingly unpredictable personalities to emerge from this year’s documentary festival circuit.
At 62, Petrillo is experiencing something many people half his age struggle to achieve: the freedom to live without constantly worrying about what everyone else thinks.
But getting there wasn’t easy.
After spending nearly six decades living a life that never fully reflected who he was, Petrillo transitioned at 59 and began an entirely new chapter.
That remarkable decision is the starting point for Call Me Micky, a 22-minute documentary directed by Andrew Rasmussen and executive produced by actress and transgender advocate Dominique Jackson.
What follows is an engaging portrait of an ordinary businessman discovering that being himself might just be the most extraordinary adventure of his life.
Forget the Stereotypes. Micky Is His Own Man.
One of the most appealing qualities of Call Me Micky is that its central subject doesn’t fit into an easily defined category.
He’s not a polished entertainer, a seasoned activist, or someone who spent decades preparing for public attention.
He’s a New Jersey guy who operated a business, dealt with life’s complications, and eventually reached a point where pretending to be someone else was no longer an option.
Now he’s discovering an entirely different world.
There are open-mic nights, new friendships, fashion experiments, professional photographs, and appearances at LGBTQ+ community events.
And through it all, there’s Micky.
Sometimes nervous, sometimes excited, frequently funny, and occasionally overwhelmed by the sheer unpredictability of everything happening around him.
That combination gives the documentary much of its charm.
It’s difficult not to become invested in someone who is simultaneously discovering himself and learning how to navigate the attention that comes with sharing his story publicly.
Micky is comfortable enough to be outspoken, yet vulnerable enough to admit that confidence doesn’t come automatically.
There’s no manufactured movie-star persona here.
What you see is a man learning how to enjoy his own life.
The Real Star Is the Personality
The best documentaries often succeed because their subjects possess something that cannot be taught in an acting class: genuine screen presence.
Petrillo appears to have that quality in abundance.
His personality is a fascinating combination of old-school New Jersey directness, emotional vulnerability, humor, and an almost relentless curiosity about what comes next.
The film’s public-performance sequences are particularly revealing.
For someone who spent much of his life outside the spotlight, stepping before an audience represents more than entertainment.
It’s an opportunity to occupy space without apology.
The documentary follows Petrillo through an open-mic experience in Brooklyn and a public speaking engagement in Jersey City, illustrating how unfamiliar experiences can become important moments of personal discovery.
What’s appealing about these encounters isn’t perfection.
It’s the willingness to try.
Micky doesn’t need to deliver a flawless performance or become an overnight sensation for these moments to matter.
The fact that he’s there at all is part of the story.
And that’s more interesting than another documentary about someone effortlessly succeeding at everything they attempt.
Dominique Jackson Adds Star Power and Substance
Executive producer Dominique Jackson is a particularly appropriate presence in Micky’s story.
The acclaimed actress became a television standout through her portrayal of Elektra Evangelista on FX’s POSE, a groundbreaking series that helped bring transgender performers and experiences to a much broader audience.
Jackson also appears in Call Me Micky, giving the documentary a connection to an entertainer whose career has been closely associated with visibility, authenticity, and self-expression.
But Jackson doesn’t need to dominate the film to make her presence meaningful.
The central attraction remains Petrillo himself.
That balance is important.
Celebrity involvement can sometimes overshadow the very people a documentary is meant to celebrate. Here, the project’s appeal comes from the contrast between a well-known performer and an everyday man whose personal transformation has opened up new social and creative possibilities.
They come from different backgrounds, but their shared understanding of the importance of being seen gives the story additional meaning.
It’s Funny Until You Remember What It Cost Him
Beneath the documentary’s lively personality lies a considerably more complicated history.
Petrillo’s earlier life included emotional distress, painful family relationships, and profound struggles with his identity.
Those experiences provide an essential counterweight to the humor and enthusiasm surrounding his present circumstances.
Without that background, his adventures might simply resemble the colorful escapades of an unusually outgoing retiree.
With it, every new experience carries additional significance.
The moments of laughter become more meaningful when audiences understand how difficult it once was for Micky to imagine a happier future.
A professional photograph isn’t simply a picture.
A new outfit isn’t simply a fashion choice.
And speaking before a crowd isn’t merely another public appearance.
These moments represent opportunities to build an identity on his own terms.
That’s what gives Call Me Micky an emotional foundation beneath its playful exterior.
The One Problem? We Need More Micky.
If there’s a notable limitation to this documentary, it’s the running time.
Twenty-two minutes is barely enough to introduce Petrillo’s complicated past, explore his developing friendships, and follow his increasingly adventurous present.
His evolving relationship with the performing arts community is intriguing, and the possibility of where that involvement might lead deserves further attention.
So does the intersection between his long-established life as a businessman and his newfound visibility as a transgender man.
And what about his ambitions?
Does he want to perform professionally? Become a public speaker? Take on a larger advocacy role?
Or is he simply enjoying the freedom to discover whatever comes next?
These are interesting questions, and they suggest the potential for an even more expansive follow-up documentary.
Still, there’s something fitting about a short film that leaves its audience wanting another chapter.
After all, Petrillo himself is only beginning to explore what this stage of his life might become.
A Festival Favorite With a Message Worth Hearing
Call Me Micky has already received two notable honors: Best Documentary at the New York Transgender Film Festival and the Spirit of Pride Award at the Susquehanna LGBTQ Film Festival.
Its next stop is the Teaneck International Film Festival on November 7, 2026, where the film will screen in the region Petrillo has called home for decades.
For a New Jersey businessman whose life once unfolded largely outside public view, that homecoming seems especially appropriate.
The documentary’s appeal, however, shouldn’t be limited to festivalgoers seeking LGBTQ+ stories.
Anyone who has ever felt trapped by expectations, intimidated by change, or afraid that the opportunity to pursue happiness has passed them by can recognize something familiar in Micky’s experiences.
He isn’t trying to convince the world that his life is perfect.
He’s simply determined to make the most of it.
And that’s a message with considerable reach.
Director Andrew Rasmussen
Final Verdict: Micky Is the Real Deal
What makes Call Me Micky such an appealing documentary subject isn’t a dramatic transformation designed for the cameras.
It’s the personality of a man who seems genuinely surprised and delighted by the possibilities opening up around him.
There is humor here, emotional honesty, and a reminder that some of life’s most interesting adventures happen long after society expects the excitement to end.
Andrew Rasmussen has found a subject with tremendous character, while Dominique Jackson’s participation helps bring additional visibility to a deeply personal story.
Most importantly, the film introduces audiences to someone worth knowing.
Micky Angelo Petrillo isn’t a superhero. He isn’t a Hollywood celebrity. He’s a man from New Jersey who spent nearly six decades trying to find peace with himself.
Now that he’s found a new sense of freedom, he isn’t particularly interested in being quiet about it.
And why should he be?
Some people are born to stand out. Others spend 59 years discovering they were never meant to blend in.
Micky Angelo Petrillo is making sure the world knows the difference.
Review Verdict: Funny, engaging, deeply personal, and powered by an irresistible central personality, Call Me Micky is a refreshing reminder that some of the best characters in cinema are people simply brave enough to be themselves.
Official Film Website: https://www.CallMeMickyFilm.com