Japanese follows English/日本語は英語の後に記載
Hello, this is Nisreen! Today, I am sharing the 11th episode of my podcast! To celebrate LGBTQ Pride Month, I’d love to introduce three American LGBTQ-themed films, selected for their artistry! 
Please find the audio on this post. It'll be available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify as well. There won’t be any spoilers. I also shared related links and full script below.
It would be lovely if you share the episode on social media as well. And of course, you’re more than welcome to let me know your thoughts about this topic from the contact form
-Script--
Hello, this is Nisreen! Welcome to the 11th episode of my podcast! It’s lovely to speak to you again.
First off, do you know what June is in the US? It’s LGBTQ Pride Month! LGBTQ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer. It's celebrated in June to commemorate the Stonewall Riots of June 1969, the tipping point of the LGBTQ rights movement in the US. To celebrate, I’d love to introduce three American LGBTQ-themed films, selected for their artistry! I will also share my fanart about them on my blog. There won’t be any spoilers. Let’s get right into it!
The first film is ‘Moonlight.’ It’s directed by Barry Jenkins. Some of you may know that this film won multiple Academy Awards in 2016. I remember that I jumped with joy when ‘Moonlight’ won the Academy Award for Best Picture, over the romantic musical , ‘LaLa Land.’ No offense to ‘LaLa Land’, it’s a lovely film, too. But ‘Moonlight’ was not just good, it was extraordinary.
The film presents three stages in the life of the seemingly gay male character, Chiron: his childhood, adolescence, and early adult life. Each life chapter features a different actor. Incredibly, these three completely different people manage to look like the same person, growing up in a rough area of Miami. All the actors did a fantastic job. But I was particularly amazed by Ashton Sanders, who played Chiron in his teens. His painful loneliness radiates through his expressive eyes, without uttering many words. Yes, this film is about loneliness, which is fundamental in any human. But also, it's about social issues that are especially prevalent in economically challenged areas of the US. For example, poverty, drug addiction, racism, violence, and toxic masculinity. When they are layered with homophobia, they create a web that suffocates a sensitive soul like Chiron.
The cinematography is truly artistic, and finds beauty in every moment. Each scene will stay in your heart forever once you see it: boys dancing on the beach under the moonlight, Little Chiron in a quiet bathroom, and a simple meal in a diner. And all the scenes are filled with characteristically vivid lighting. In an article in IndieWire, the director, Jenkins says quote “Tarell calls Miami a ‘beautiful nightmare’ and I think what we’ve done is paint this nightmare in beautiful tones. We wanted to embrace the tension of that beauty, juxtaposed with the very dark things that are happening to the characters in the story.” Unquote. If you haven’t watched this most beautiful nightmare yet, you should definitely watch it.
The second film is ‘Carol’, released in 2015. The director is Todd Haynes. It’s a delicately crafted historical romance between two women, set in 1952. The plot is based on a novel called ‘The Price of Salt’ by Patricia Highsmith. The cinematography and fashion in this film are a true feast for the eyes. Carol, played by Cate Blanchett, particularly embodies a glamour of the 1950s with her poised look and chic costumes. The beauty of this film does not only come from its luxury, though. The warm, often smokey colours are effectively used in the film to symbolise the characters’ emotional state. For example, when the younger lady, Therese, played by Rooney Mara first meets Carol, you first see this magical combination of colours. Carol is in a soft caramel fur coat, and a coral hat and a scarf. This radiant colour combination makes her gleam in the crowd, like candlelight in the dark. The costume designer, Sandy Powell says, quote “I wanted the audience to experience what Therese experienced the first time she catches a glimpse of the exotic creature” unquote. Yes, the visual effect is very persuasive about their love at first sight. In addition, when the two ladies meet up for the second time, Carol shows up wearing a coral scarf again, but in a deeper tone. This accentuates her sultry side, much more than before. And it conveys to us the deepening infatuation between the two women, without making them speak much. Furthermore, the colour crimson on their lips and fingernails stands out in many scenes, indicating their growing passion. Actually, I have heard some gay female friends complained about how Therese is always ‘just staring at Carol’ or how the film is too discrete about erotic scenes. But think about it- the story is set in 1952! It was 17 years before the Stonewall Riots. I believe the film’s ‘less is more’ approach is perfect for expressing passion under such oppressive conditions. The way Carol’s hands delicately touch Thereses’, especially, were much more sensual than any explicit sexual scenes to me. It’s one of few films that depict two women’s romance with great sensitivity and with solid storytelling.
Last, but not least, is ‘Tangerine.’ Tangerine is a comedy-drama film from 2015. It’s directed by Sean Baker. The story is about two trans female sex workers in Los Angeles. It’s the day before Christmas, and Sin-Dee played by Kitana Kiki Rodriguez has just returned from a jail. When her friend Alexandra played by Mya Taylor lets slip that Sin-Dee’s boyfriend has been sleeping with a cis gender woman, she vows to track them down for a confrontation.
Incredibly, the whole movie was filmed on an iPhone mostly with natural light! The iPhone camera offers anamorphic touches to the film. Its wide-angle close-ups are very characteristic. In an article in American Cinematographer, the director Baker says quote “Aesthetically, it worked to enhance the way we were covering our subjects, which was almost a happy accident and something I’m very grateful for. It brings the audience closer to these characters. Empathy is the most important thing, allowing the audience to experience this stuff with them. That’s why we went with this style, to immerse you in the hardship and chaos of the area.” Unquote. This comment about empathy makes so much sense to me. The sense of closeness is remarkable, particularly in the quiet moments between chaotic comedy sequences. For example, there is a scene in a carwash, and the moment when a woman takes off her wig in order to show solidarity with her friend, there’s something poetic about their shared feelings. You will feel like you are a friend of Alexandra and Sin-Dee, no matter where you’re from, or what you look like. Given the cruel reality around poor transgender people’s lives especially trans women, this sense of closeness to the characters is very important. According to the “Transrespect Versus Transphobia Project” website, 321 trans and gender diverse people were reported murdered worldwide between 1 October 2022 and 30 September 2023. 94% of the victims were trans women or trans feminine people. And globally, 48% of murdered trans people whose occupation is known were sex workers. I find it appalling how humans can dehumanise other humans based on their gender or occupation. I still want to believe that great artworks like ‘Tangerine’ truly represent most of humanity, who can show empathy across borders and categorisations.
So, there you go. I introduced three films: ‘Moonlight’, ‘Carol’, and ‘Tangerine’. They are very different types of films. But the common trait is exquisite cinematography and sensitive depictions of feelings. You’ll enjoy all three films if you appreciate quality films.
What did you think? I’d be delighted if you write a review of this podcast on Apple Podcasts or rating on Spotify. It would be lovely if you share the episode on social media as well. And of course, you’re more than welcome to let me know your thoughts from the contact form in the description.
Thank you so much for listening. Goodbye for now!
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