Review: Disclosure

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Trans rights are human rights

This documentary follows many trans actors, filmmakers, activists and writers as they talk about the history of trans representation in films and the impact it had on them.

There are many voices that are not heard enough in the film industry (any industry really) and trans voices are among them. Having so many talented trans artists in one film talking about movies was an absolute treat. More than that, it was an education.

I'm obviously coming from a privileged point being a cis white woman, and I was even more aware of it watching this. I had never considered a character like Buffalo Bill in Silence of the Lambs trans representation, and yet that was one of the biggest cultural references of it at one point. Breakfast on Pluto is one of my favorite movies, and I never thought about anyone other than Cillian Murphy playing the lead role. A wide variety of films are touched up on here and I can only hope that we start to see more representation as we move forward in the film industry.

 The only negative thing I have to say about this is that I wish it was longer. I feel like this could've been an entire series instead of a 90 minute film. 

 Recommended: Yes

 Grade: A

Memorable Quote: "The fact that we study and teach DW Griffith without saying a word about the representation.." - Yance Ford (honestly the entire point he made about this was perfect)

Comments

  1. Cinema RecallJuly 10, 2020 at 2:58 PM

    I want more Trans People in front and behind the camera as well as stories about this culture too. But at the same time I don't want to limit who can portray trans characters or tell stories about them either. I would love it if one day a trans director made a blockbuster with trans actors portraying any gender and we dont make an issue out of it.

    For example American Psycho was `1st written by a man. The script was written by two women and one is openly gay. They wrote a movie featuring mostly a male cast and male protagonist. Now I say this because that movie could have been made by men and it would be a very different movie, but women were behind it and it was different. I worry about trans filmmakers being pigioned holed into only directing movies about trans characters and I dont want just that. I never saw Buffalo Bill from Silence of Lambs as being a representative of Trans People and whoever actually thinks that is a bigot

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamJuly 11, 2020 at 7:02 AM

      Personally, we're at a point where trans actors are barely getting in the room, so they should be the ones in line first to play trans characters. Before I would've agreed, especially since Breakfast on Pluto is one of my favorite and Cillian Murphy is obviously not trans, but there's thousands of roles out there. Let trans actors tell their stories first.

      I hope trans filmmakers don't get pigeon holed anywhere either, but there's so many creative people out there, I'm sure there are plenty of stories to go around.

      Delete

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