While there (arguably) hasn’t been another instant classic such as Moonlight, Carol or Call Me By Your Name, there have been a plethora of critically-acclaimed dramas, comedies and documentaries that have made us laugh, scream and discover new aspects of LGBTQ+ culture and history in the process.
(Although the small screen is still demolishing cinema when it comes to representation, we should add.) Although the entertainment industry has been greatly impacted for the second year running due to coronavirus restrictions, with various films making their way to streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney Plus, it’s been another sensational year for LGBTQ+ storytelling. I know that this site is not entirely convinced with the genderless acting awards but I think that could be a great alternative to look far from the sexual identity and stay focused in a more nature way in the talent which is the most important. If we extend the discussion to transgender performers, they tend to be "condemned" to play transgender roles one time they end their physical transition because most times they are hired precisely just for being transgenders.
I am a little distant from the Hollywood world right now but in México some careers of personalities from TV and movies weren't affected after they 'out' (Luis Gerardo Méndez, Alejandra Ley, Eduardo España, Alejandro de la Madrid, Maria Renee Prudencio, among others) and they play gay characters some times and others don't. Will it be treated as warmly by regular critics in release? We shall R, I honestly think that is very complex just to prove that there is a lack of opportunities to gay performers considering that not all of them are 'out' in first place. We know - relevant to this film of course - that countries from the former Soviet Union are often danger zones for queer people as we've seen on the news and in brilliant contemporary films like Welcome to Chechnya and And Then We Danced.įirebird has been popular at LGBTQ film festivals. It's sometimes alarming to note how cavalier queer people in the US are about their civil rights since a) we haven't had them for very long and b) they can easily be taken away given the far-right makeup of the Supreme Court at this juncture in history! What's more there are many places around the world where homosexuality is still a criminal offense.
1977 when the film is set is not all that long ago in the course of history. Tom Prior, who is 32, is openly gay and cowrote the film with the director. It's wonderful to note that at least one of the actors here is gay. Though the cast is international and it's shot in English the director, Peeter Rebane, making his narrative feature debut, is from Estonia. British actor Tom Prior ( Kingsman: Secret Service, The Theory of Everything) plays the Russian soldier and Ukrainian actor Oleg Zagorodnii plays the pilot fighter. Inspired by a true story, it involves the forbidden gay romance of a soldier and a pilot fighter in Estonia during the 1970s. Roadside Attractions will be releasing the Cold War romantic drama Firebirds, on April 29th in theaters.