Meet Micky Angelo Petrillo, the outspoken New Jersey entrepreneur proving that life’s biggest adventures can begin after 60.
NEW YORK — November 2026 — Some people slow down when they reach their sixties. Micky Angelo Petrillo is doing the exact opposite.
The outspoken, funny and larger-than-life New Jersey businessman has gone from running a gift basket company to becoming the subject of an award-winning documentary executive produced by television star Dominique Jackson.
And his story is heading to the big screen on November 7.
Call Me Micky, a 22-minute documentary directed by Andrew Rasmussen, will screen at the 21st Annual Teaneck International Film Festival, giving New York-area audiences an opportunity to meet one of New Jersey’s most unforgettable personalities.
Petrillo spent more than 30 years operating Baskets-N-Beyond in Oradell, New Jersey. But at age 59, he made a life-changing decision to begin living openly as the man he had always known himself to be.
What happened next was anything but ordinary.
Rather than settling into a quiet retirement, Petrillo began embracing new experiences, making public appearances, performing at open mic events and sharing his extraordinary life story.
His journey caught the attention of filmmaker Andrew Rasmussen and executive producer Dominique Jackson, the acclaimed actress who portrayed Elektra Evangelista on FX’s POSE.
Jackson also appears in the documentary, joining Petrillo for a personal conversation about identity, visibility and living authentically.
Produced by New York City-based CARDINAL, Call Me Micky blends humor, vulnerability and unexpected moments as Petrillo navigates his exciting new chapter.
The film has already won Best Documentary at the New York Transgender Film Festival and the Spirit of Pride Award at the Susquehanna LGBTQ Film Festival.
And Petrillo isn’t stopping with the movie.
His memoir, Walking the Earth: First as a Woman, Then a Man, was released earlier this year, giving readers another look at the remarkable experiences that shaped his life.
Now the Fort Lee resident is preparing for a hometown-area screening at the Teaneck International Film Festival, where audiences can experience his story firsthand.
At an age when many people are thinking about slowing down, Petrillo is just getting started.
See Call Me Micky Saturday, November 7, at the Teaneck International Film Festival.
Official Website: https://www.CallMeMickyFilm.com
Festival Information: https://teaneckfilmfestival.org/
Interview Opportunities: Micky Angelo Petrillo is available for television, newspaper and digital media interviews.