Tag Archives: Cate Blanchett

Cate Blanchett is an Academy Award-winning actress known for roles in several esteemed films, including Elizabeth, The Talented Mr. Ripley, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Aviator and Blue Jasmine.

Queer Related Films You Should Pay Attention At This Year Tribeca Film Festival

New York City is preparing for one of its most entertaining and thought-provoking events, the annual Tribeca Film Festival.

Now in its 16th year, the festival brings a plethora of premieres from around the world, as well as retrospective screenings of film classics, an immersive arcade of virtual reality, and some red carpet glitter.

Included in the line-up this year are several feature narratives and documentaries of interest to women and the LGBTQ community.

Whitney. “Can I Be Me”

Catch Nick Broomfield and Rudi Dolezal’s exploration of Whitney Houston’s career and personal life before it comes to Showtime.

Love The Sinner

Originally titled “One Pulse”, Devaney and Gandbhir’s short explores the evangelical roots of homophobia in the wake of the Orlando nightclub shooting that claimed 49 lives.

Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story

U.S.A (Director: Alexandra Dean) Hollywood screen siren Hedy Lamarr was considered one of the most beautiful stars of the 1940s, and enjoyed both a big gay following and rumors about her sexuality. But most of her fans had no idea she came up with a secret communication system to help the Allies beat the Nazis in WWII, a little known facet explored in this fascinating documentary.

Dive (Salta)

In this short directed by Marianne Amelinckx, Julia (Iruaní Gómez) goes back to the pool and remembers that sometimes life challenges ourselves to keep going and make decisions.

Saturday Church

Saturday Church focuses young, queer Ulysses as he discovers an underground community where he finds support and creative inspiration.

The cast includes Margot Bingham, Regina Taylor, Marquis Rodriguez, MJ Rodriguez, Indya Moore, Alexia Garcia.

The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson

Also making its premiere at Tribeca, this documentary about the pioneering trans activist features unearthed footage and rediscovered interviews about the “street queen” who helped start the Stonewall riots.

Nobody’s Watching

The Argentinean film written and directed by Julia Solomonoff, Nobody’s Watching, challenges identity and questions how we perform our preferences for a cultural context.

Manifesto

Cate Blanchett portrays 13 different characters all railing against art in Julian Rosefeldt’s brilliant (anti) art film Manifesto.

Permission

Gina Gershon and Rebecca Hall star in Permission, a film about negotiating an open relationship.

Take Me

Taylor Schilling stars in Take Me, a darkly comic crime caper.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlJIr0x7e64

The Handmaid’s Tale

Hulu’s highly anticipated The Handmaid’s Tale debuts, followed by a conversation with the dynamic cast including Elisabeth Moss and Samira Wiley.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJTonrzXTJs

 

 

One Percent More Humid

The story centres on Iris (Temple) and Catherine (Garner), college-age childhood friends who reunite for a humid New England summer to help each other cope with the unimaginable – a friend has died in a car accident, an accident which they both survived.

 

One Percent More Humid, is written and directed by Liz W. Garcia.

Airline Censors ‘Carol’, Editing Out Lesbian Kissing Scenes

Carol – the film based on Patricia Highsmith’s novel The Price of Salt – stars Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara as two women who develop an intimate relationship.

However the Huffington Post reports that Delta Airlines have been showing an edited version of the film, which has the lesbian kissing scenes edited out.

Comedian Cameron Esposito watched the film during a flight and tweeted about the edited version, saying:

Watched Carol on a plane and they edited it so the man character never even kiss. Booo. Two women kissing is fine for planes.”

In a statement to Entertainment Weekly, Delta Airlines said that the reason they showed the edited film was because the studio supplied them with two versions. An unedited version that included nudity and the edited one that cut the nudity as well as the kissing.

If we were worried about kissing we wouldn’t be showing the film in the first place, but because there are scenes with more than a few seconds of nudity, we opted for the edited version instead of the theatrical version.”

Screenwriter Phyllis Nagy, who wrote the screenplay for Carol, said that United Airlines and American Airlines took the full version of the film shown in cinemas while others chose to screen the edited copy.

Delta has said that it chose the edited copy because the theatrical version included explicit scenes that “did not meet its guidelines”.

Unfortunately, the edited copy also removed all kissing, but the company did not have the rights to edit them back in.

Some fans have started using the #FreeCarol hashtag to convey their disapproval at Delta’s decision not to show the full film while others, including singer Mary Lambert, have expressed their surprise after watching Carol and assuming that the lack of physical intimacy was a creative decision.

Carol has been voted as the best LGBT film “of all time” by film experts.

Has It Really Been A Great Year for Female Film Characters?

Although we’ve seen many male-led movies such as The Martian, The Revenant and The Big Short garner a lot of attention, many critics say the past year was good for fans of films with female characters too.

They point to films like Carol, Room and Mad Max: Fury Road as prime examples of films where the women were the stars of the show, and of media where leading ladies kicked ass first, taking names later in their own way.

Some critics argue that it hasn’t just been a great year for female characters, numbers wise, but in how they were presented as well.

The characters in these films, including Inside Out and Grandma, don’t necessarily fit into the typical ‘strong female character’ mould either, as they’re flawed and messy and imperfect in the same way that actual, real-life women are.

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But does that mean that we’re in a new era of movie-making, where women get to take the lead in more pictures, and are written in ways that won’t make us want to throw the nearest piece of pottery?

Not necessarily.

We may have made some real strides in terms of both numbers and the actual depictions of these female characters, but the work is far from over.

For example, although we are quick to praise the diversity of movies like Grandma, Freeheld and Carol for starring lesbian characters, it‘s also important to consider that these three movies, like many of the others being praised for positive representation of women, star white women. (All three films were also massively snubbed at the Oscars, with misogyny being blamed).

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Also important to note is how the 2016 Oscars featured no nominees of colour in any of its acting categories, sparking a revival of the #OscarsSoWhite hashtag.

While this is incredibly frustrating, it’s both an ugly symptom of the Academy’s massively lopsided voting pool and of Hollywood itself and it was massively disappointing to see films like Tangerine (a movie about two trans women of colour) get shut out.

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It’s also worth noting that one film that has been praised for its black female ‘heroine’ character, Chi-Raq, has also been criticised for its own misogyny, as it involves ending gun violence via the means of women withholding sex.

Straight Outta Compton, another movie starring people of colour that many felt should have been nominated by the Academy, also overlooked the violent acts committed by Dr. Dre against women.

Whether we will see the trend of female-led films (hopefully with more diversity) continue into 2016 and beyond is unclear.

Although Hollywood blockbusters make far more at the box office when starring female characters, who’s to say that Hollywood will pay attention when it’s been ignoring that factoid for years?

Additionally, with so few female film-makers holding Hollywood’s top jobs, decisions of these female-focused films are largely in the hands of men.

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Todd Haynes’ Lesbian Love Story ‘Carol’ Named Best LGBT Film Of All Time

Todd Haynes’ lesbian love story Carol – which was released last year – has been named the best LGBT film of all time in a top 30 list that included past and present movies.

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Carol, staring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, came top of a poll compiled to mark the 30th anniversary of the London lesbian and gay film festival, BFI Flare.

Just behind Carol was Andrew Haigh’s 2011 film, Weekend, followed by Wong Kar-wai’s 1997 Hong Kong romance, Happy Together, and at No 4, Ang Lee’s Brokeback Mountain.

An adaptation by Phyllis Nagy of Patricia Highsmith’s 1952 novel, The Price of Salt, Carol which topped a poll of more than 100 film experts.

It was a film adored by critics, and was nominated for six Oscar and nine Bafta nominations, although it came home empty-handed from both award ceremonies.

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Tricia Tuttle, deputy head of festivals at the BFI, said it was no surprise that Carol came out top.

Haynes is an absolutely beloved film-maker inside and outside LGBT cinema circles and this is one of his finest films.

Everyone has their favourite Todd Haynes and this is certainly mine, I voted for it. Given the relative lack of lesbian content in cinema it is nice to see it come top.”

Haynes said he was proud Carol had won.

Carol is in illustrious company with so many films I love, from Brokeback Mountain and Un Chant d’Amour to Happy Together and My Own Private Idaho.”

Despite The Strong Nominations, LGBT Films Lose Out At Oscars

Despite the hype, Carol – the critically acclaimed lesbian love story directed by Todd Haynes – failed to scoop any awards, despite both stars being nominated for awards.

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Cate Blanchett lost out to Brie Larson in the Best Actress category, while Alicia Vikander – who won the best supporting actress Oscar for her role in Tom Hooper’s transgender drama The Danish Girl – beat co-star Rooney Mara.

Alicia Vikander

The Danish Girl – which focuses on the first ever recipient of gender reassignment surgery and the effect this has on their marriage – failed to pick up any other awards, including Best Actor for Eddie Redmayne, who lost out to serial nominee Leonardo DiCaprio.

Redman

The actor portrays the lead character, Lily Elbe, in the biopic – which also failed to pick up a BAFTA Award last week.

Carol also lost out at this year’s BAFTAs – despite a total of nine nominations.

Meanwhile, Sam Smith won the award for Best Soundtrack – dedicating his award to the global LGBT community, after wrongly suggesting he was the first gay man to win.

This year’s awards were seen to be one of the most controversial yet, after a number of stars announced their decision to boycott the ceremony due to a lack of diversity in nominees.

Kate McKinnon’s ‘Carol’ Parody Is Everything We Needed Today

During Saturday’s Independent Spirit Awards, hosts Kate McKinnon and Kumail Nanjiani debuted a pre-taped parody of the award winning Carol and it’s everything we needed today.

McKinnon takes on Cate Blanchett’s role in Carol and Nanjiani plays her waiter in a hilarious sketch.

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Find out what happens when McKinnon meets Rooney Mara at Lezzie’s, where all the lesbians (including Wanda Sykes and Jane Lynch) go for their ‘clandestine glove lunches’.

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Watch and laugh

Despite A Promising Nine Nominations, Carol Loses Out At BAFTAs

Cate Blanchett was nominated for her critically acclaimed role in lesbian love story, but lost out in the Best Actress category to Brie Larson for her role in Room.

The film also missed out after being nominated for the Best Film gong, which went to The Revenant.

Todd Haynes also missed out as best Director, which went to Alejandro G. Iñárritu, for The Revenant.

Meanwhile, Rooney Mara lost out on the Best Supporting Actress award, to Kate Winslett for her performance in Steve Jobs.

Carol lost out in the Production Design, Make up and Hair, Cinematography, Best Adapted Screenplay and Costume Design categories.

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Based on the Patricia Highsmith novel The Price of Salt, the film follows Mara and Blanchett’s characters’ relationship. The film shows that the women must make sacrifices in order to be together.

The film has been critically acclaimed, but earlier this month, the ABC network said it would not run a trailer for the film Carol during the Superbowl unless a lesbian love scene was edited out.

Carol Is ‘Misunderstood’, Say Critics And Fans

Carol, which stars Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara (who play Carol and Therese, respectively) as two women falling in love, was one of the standouts of the many LGBTQ+ films released last year. In fact, the 1950s-set movie has even been called the ‘best lesbian film of all time’ by some.

However, despite the overwhelming praise that has been bestowed on the Todd Haynes-directed piece, some viewers and film critics have called the movie ‘cold’. Admittedly, Carol is a film of few words, opting to go for the subtle approach, but have some people misunderstood the film or is this an appropriate criticism?

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Writing at The Atlantic, David Sims notes that criticisms of “chilliness” come from the fact that “so many of their early interactions are centered around fleeting touches and glances, or pleasant small talk that doesn’t remotely stoop to the level of innuendo”. However, Sims argues, this is where Carol’s “brilliance” lies, as the film “aligns” with “the terrifying experience of falling for someone without knowing how they feel about you.

Fans of the movie (particularly bisexual and lesbian women) who have seen Carol, also call this lack of ‘obvious’ language a reason why some viewers (particularly heterosexual ones) may have missed the point. The subtle clues between the two women – who must figure out whether this is a deep friendship or if there are romantic feelings – will be familiar to women who love women (wlw) watching the film who will have struggled with similar questions of ‘is she queer’ and ‘does she like me in that way’.

Arguably, it would be ludicrous to ask a film about lesbians, based on a book by a lesbian, with a screenplay written by a lesbian, to make things more obvious for heterosexual viewers. This is an important point especially as other films such as Stonewall, have tried to pander/be more understandabe for straight viewers and have failed tragically as a result.

Moreover, the so-called ‘coldness’ of Carol accurately reflects the time that Carol and Therese were living in. In an interview with Indiewire, Todd Haynes explains that

… Therese can’t even find the syntax for describing her feelings for this woman. There is no example in the world that she can point to to put it into language. And there’s something radical, and frightening and wonderful about that.”

Haynes also called the 1950s a “very anxious, anxiety-ridden time” and while the intricacies of this may have been lost on some, many others would agree that he has presented this perfectly. And this realism, and the truth of the piece, is perhaps why the rest of us love Carol so very, very much.

Watch The Banned ‘Carol’ Trailer Deemed Too ‘Lesbian’ for TV?

Nominated for six Oscars, Carol is a stunning film making waves around the world.

But those waves are apparently little too hot for ABC. Execs at ABC, the network that airs super racy scenes on shows like How To Get Away with Murder, told Carol’s studio, the Weinstein Company, to cover up Cate and Rooney in a new TV spot or it would not be aired.

ABC execs told Weinstein they would only air the spot if the studio “provides more coverage on both,” according to a press release from the Weinstein Company.

The new Carol ad focuses on the physical relationship between Carol (Cate) and Therese (Rooney), something previous ads have not, but it appears that ABC execs are just plain squeamish about women’s bodies touching.

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Watch the banned spot below. Do you think it’s too racy for ABC primetime?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=27&v=BYv9ILT21QU

Oscars 2016: 5 of the Biggest Nomination Snubs

In just over a months’ time, the 88th Academy Awards (the 2016 Oscars) will take place. Hosted by comedian Chris Rock, the award show aims to heap praise on those who’ve done a brilliant job in filmmaking both in front of and behind the camera.

Earlier this week, the Oscars 2016 nominations were revealed and while there were some notable highlights (trans drama The Danish Girl landed multiple noms, as did Mad Max: Fury Road) there were also some notable snubs. Below is our list of the biggest snubs; feel free to leave yours in the comments!

1. Carol

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Carol is quite possibly the best lesbian film ever made; most people who’ve seen it and critics, many of whom have featured Carol in their ‘best of the year’ lists, would agree.

So why, despite Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara getting nominations for their incredible performances in the film, was the film looked over elsewhere?

In a brilliant article on Autostraddle, Heather Hogan suggests that Carol was kept out of the Best Picture and Best Director categories because of misandry rather than lesbophobia. 76% of Oscar voters are men and as director Todd Haynes “refused to center on masculine experience” it stands to reason that the voters didn’t want to heap praise on the movie.

2. Tangerine

Tangerine 02

Tangerine is a film that stars two trans women (who are also sex workers) named Sin-Dee and Alexandra, telling the story of what happens when Sin-Dee finds out that her boyfriend (and pimp) has been cheating on her. Not only was it praised for casting two actual trans women to play trans characters (a rarity in films these days) but this indie flick was also shot on an iPhone.

With critics raving about the film, the team behind Tangerine decided to campaign for the Oscars, making it the first ever Oscars campaign for openly transgender actresses. A nomination was always a long shot but we’re still sad to see Tangerine and its cast miss out.

3. Clouds of Sils Maria (Kristen Stewart)

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Less of a long shot was Clouds of Sils Maria. Released in the United States in April 2015, the drama starred Juliette Binoche as a middle-aged actress cast in a film with Chloe Moretz (who plays an up and coming actress in the film), while Kristen Stewart stars as the personal assistant Binoche’s character has some serious tension with.

With Stewart having scooped up a César (a French Oscar) for her role, in what some have called a ‘career-defining performance’ for the actress, many were surprised to see that Oscar voters overlooked her.

4. Grandma

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Another film that everybody has been raving about is Grandma. Controversial for the fact that it centres on a grandmother and her granddaughter trying to find the funds for an abortion, critics loved the comedy-drama and said that Lily Tomlin was fantastic in it.

As a result, her Oscars 2016 snub was a shock though some have cited age (Tomlin is 76) and Hollywood’s bias against older women as a primary reason for the snub.

5. Any Actor of Colour

It is amazing (and not in a good way) just how staggeringly, blindingly and frankly uncomfortably white this year’s Oscars are. For the second year on the trot, every single acting nomination was given to white actors and actresses. Not even Will Smith (who offered a brilliant performance in Concussion) and Idris Elba (who delivered a dazzling performance in Beasts of No Nation) were nominated.

Michael B. Jordan was completely overlooked whereas his Creed costar Sylvester Stallone got a nomination and Straight Outta Compton was also ignored despite being a critical and box office smash.

The most recent figure (from 2012) suggests that Oscar voters are 94% white so again this isn’t surprising, but the fact that this has happened another year in a row, at a time when the Academy is reportedly trying to improve regarding diversity, makes this even worse.

Even the Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs has voiced her disappointment

Oscars 2016: Cate Blanchett And Rooney Mara Both Nominated For ‘Carol’

Hollywood held its breath today as the academy revealed which of the year’s films it was most impressed by.

The Revenant led the nominations with a total of 12, followed by Mad Max: Fury Roadwith 10, and The Martian with seven.

Cate Blanchett is up for Best Actress for her critically-acclaimed role in lesbian love story Carol – which received a total of six nominations, including one for co-star Rooney Mara, who is up for Best Supporting Actress.

cate-blanchett-stars-carol

However, there was film failed to pick up Best Picture category, and Todd Haynes was absence in the Best Director category.

Eddie Redmayne is also aiming for an Oscar double after being nominated for Best Actor for The Danish Girl – twelve months after winning the same prize for The Theory of Everything.

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However, Redmayne faces stiff competition from the likes of Bryan Cranston, Leonardo DiCaprio and Michael Fassbender.

Other nominees included Sam Smith and Lady Gaga – who were both nominated for Best Original Song.

Smith – who is nominated for Bond theme, Writing On The Wall – expressed shock after also picking up a Golden Globe for the song last weekend.

Lady Gaga is nominated for her track, Till It Happens To You, which formed part of the soundtrack of film The Hunting Ground.

Unsettlingly, for the second consecutive year, no performers of colour were nominated. Idris Elba (Beasts of No Nation), Michael B. Jordan (Creed), Samuel L. Jackson (The Hateful Eight), Jason Mitchell (Straight Outta Compton) and Mya Taylor (Tangerine) were among the many black actors who were shut out.

Similarly, no women cracked the Best Director race – but, sadly, that comes as no surprise.

 

Bafta Film Awards: ‘Carol’ And ‘The Danish Girl’ Lead This Year’s Nominations

Great news, Cate Blanchett is up for Best Actress for her critically-acclaimed role in lesbian love story Carol – pitting her against Alicia Vikander (The Danish Girl), Saoirse Ronan and Brie Larson – at this year’s Baftas.

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Also nominated is Dame Maggie Smith, nominated for her role in the excellent The Lady In The Van – written by prestigious gay playwright Alan Bennett.

Carol – which is up for a total of nine gongs – is also nominated for Best Film, alongside Bridge of Spies, The Big Short, The Revenant and Spotlight.

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Another queer movie making waves is The Danish Girl, with Eddie Redmayne aiming for a Bafta double after being nominated for Best Actor – twelve months after winning the same prize for The Theory of Everything.

The Danish Girl – in which Redmayne plays transgender pioneer Lili Elbe – is also named for Outstanding British Film.  Vikander – who has won universal praise for her role as Gerda Wegener in the biopic – is also nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in sci-fi thriller Ex Machina.

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She faces Kate Winslet – who recently took part in a stunning androgynous photo shoot – nominated for her role in Steve Jobs.

See Cate Blanchett Dance For Joy After Winning Award For ‘Carol’ Role

Awards seasons frontrunner Cate Blanchett – who has been tipped for Oscars glory for her role in the critically acclaimed lesbian love story Carol – quite literally danced for joy after winning an award at the Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala.

After it was announced she had won the Desert Palm Achievement Award – Actress at the ceremony over the weekend, the star threw her hands up and danced on stage.

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Other winners at the awards show included Johnny Depp, Matt Damon and Saoirse Ronan.

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Speaking of her new role as the repressed housewife who falls in love with a younger woman (played by Rooney Mara), Blanchett said it can be frustrating playing a gay character because many people expect their own relationships to be represented.

The problem is that when you represent a character in a same-sex relationship, it’s like you have to represent them all. You become a spokesperson, which really isn’t the point.”

She also added:

When the time comes that we have a diversity of same-sex couples in film, then the problem is solved, I don’t have to stand for everyone.”

In Review: Lesbian Film Highlights Of 2015 And What We Can Expect From 2016

Did you notice that this year you actually got to see lesbian films outside of the LGBT film festival circuit? And that several of them got nominated for (and even won) awards? And they even had big names attached to them?

That’s right, 2015 was a really interesting (and important) year for LGBT movie-goers as more LGBT-themed films got accepted and publicised by the mainstream.

While that meant that we heard about some duds (such as Stonewall, which was rightfully ripped to shreds by critics), it also meant that some true cinematic diamonds got the spotlight they deserved.

Yes folks, 2015 showed that it actually pays to play gay.

So what were the highlights of 2015?

Carol

Just about everyone has high praise for Carol and with its leading ladies having both picked up Golden Globes nominations for their brilliant performances in the movie, but it’s being tipped for Oscar nominations as well.

Carol, based on Patricia Highsmith’s novel The Price of Salt, is one of the most talked about films of the year. Not only does it star Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara in a May-December relationship (that also has a class divide) but it’s also beautiful shot and the depiction of 1950s America is absolutely exquisite.

Freeheld

Starring Ellen Page and Julianne Moore in a May-December relationship, based on a true story, Freeheld tells the tragic story about a police officer named Laurel Moore who is diagnosed with terminal cancer.

With the help of some friends, Moore and her domestic partner Stacie Andree fight to ensure that Laurel’s pension benefit get passed on to Stacie even after Laurel passes.

Prepare to shed some serious tears watching this one.

Grandma

Grandma is an unusual twist on the buddy movie genre. It stars out actress Lily Tomlin as the titular grandma, who, after the death of her long-time partner and having split up with her girlfriend after four months, has to help out her 18-year old granddaughter.

Her granddaughter is pregnant and needs money for an abortion, but, being broke and having had her credit card confiscated by her mother, the two women have to find the cash for the procedure, opening old relationship wounds and rehashing old arguments along the way.

Bessie

It’s a TV movie, but Bessie deserves its spot on this list. Out director Dee Rees’ film about blues singer Bessie Smith was nominated for a ton of Emmys and won several, including the Emmy for Outstanding Television Movie. Great acting, amazing music and big names like Queen Latifah and Mo’Nique made for a splendid film. Any worries that Bessie Smith’s bisexuality would be underplayed are squashed after watching this film. And she’s not the only queer lady in this biopic either.

Bare

Dianna Agron’s queer drama about a young woman living in Nevada, who becomes romantically involved with a female drifter, played by Paz de La Huerta. It’s a small town girl – bored with life – story.

The film, is written, produced and developed by Purple Milk aka Natalia Leite and out producer Alexandra Roxo, two independent filmmaker from Brooklyn. Together they have worked on documentaries, like the upcoming Serrano Shoots Cuba, and the web series Be Here Nowish (which you can watch on KitschMix.tv), which they wrote and also starred in.

Liz In September

Despite autumn being the best season of the year, this one doesn’t offer much to smile about as the titular ‘Liz’ is a lesbian who has terminal cancer. Things aren’t going much better for her love interest either as she has lost her son to cancer.

It sounds pretty miserable on paper, true, but Liz In September has gotten a warm reception from critics at least, especially for the performance of Patricia Velasquez (who came out this year) so it’s worth a watch.

All About E

Romance! Criminal hijinks! A queer woman of colour triumphing over a racist buffoon! All About E has got it all, as it stars the titular ‘E’ and her gay best friend as they get into trouble after accidentally steal money from the club where E works.

A gay Mission Impossible this is not, but it is a great deal of fun and you’ll really enjoy seeing E and her ex-girlfriend rekindle their relationship.

7. Summertime

Blue Is The Warmest Colour take a seat; Summertime (La Belle Saison) is the best gay, French film on the block. Featuring farm girl Delphine as she leaves her parents place in the countryside to come to the city, the movie follows her as she meets a feminist named Carole who she promptly falls in love with.

The Girl King

There are (and this is a rough approximation) 1 billion and one films about heterosexual historical figures getting married, cheating and dabbling in royal politics. So why can’t queer characters get the same movie tropes? Lucky for us, The Girl King solves that problem, focusing on the (very real) Queen Christina of Sweden as she assumes the throne at a young age following her father’s death.

A true rebel, despite her title, Christina is pretty fond of peace (despite everyone around her wanting war), wearing men’s clothing and sword-fighting too, but you’ll mostly likely be interested in her romance with Countess Ebba Sparre who becomes one of her ladies in waiting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z65cdquVuMU

Skin Deep

Yes, this is another movie where a lesbian and straight girl become friends and there’s some sexual tension, but Skin Deep is a lot more than that. The film is about two women – with their own dysfunctions – meeting at what should be the worst time ever, yet somehow its not.

The Summer of Sangaile

Seventeen-year-old Sangaile is fascinated by stunt planes. She meets a girl her age at the summer aeronautical show, near her parents’ lakeside villa. Sangaile allows Auste to discover her most intimate secret and in the process finds in her teenage love the only person who truly encourages her to fly.

Girlhood

Oppressed by her family, dead-end school prospects, and the boys’ law in the neighborhood, Marieme starts a new life after meeting a group of free-spirited girls. She changes her name and dress, and quits school to be accepted in the gang, hoping to find a way to freedom.

Tig

This documentary explores comedian Tig Notaro’s extraordinary journey as her life unfolds in grand and unexpected ways, all while she is battling a life-threatening illness and falling in love.

The Same Difference

When you’re part of a marginalised group, ‘there’s a high chance of discrimination’ is almost inked in small print at the bottom of the sign-up sheet, as is the nature of the thing.

The Same Difference by first-time director Nneka Onuorah, sheds light on an issue we rarely see discussed in this medium: hypocrisy in the black lesbian and bisexual community. A code of behavior and appearance exists and it’s strong, but as the movie shows us, there are women living outside of these boxes and they often aren’t received well. The film also looks at the judgment bisexual women, pregnant aggressive, and stud-on-stud couples face.

So what films should we being looking out for in 2016?

About Ray

About Ray tells explores the questions of identity and family ties. With Malificient actress, Elle Fanning, playing a New York City teen Ray, who is transition from female to male. Naomi Watts will play Ray’s single mother, Maggie, who must come to terms with raising her only daughter as a son. Long-time LGBT ally, Susan Sarandon will play Maggie’s mother Dolly – a music manager who lives with her lesbian partner and has a hard time understanding her grandchild’s decision.

The release date for About Ray has been pushed around, but it finally looks like Dec. 31 will be the day. Give me a break–most of you will be watching Susan Sarandon play gay in 2016.

First Girl I Loved

In short, First Girl I Loved is about a 17-year-old who falls in love with the most popular girl at school. The backstory about the lives of three young girls from Phillip Island and follows their trip to Hawaii — the first step on their journey to making a break as professional surfers.

Discover the trials and tribulations of training, competitions and injury whilst gaining an insight into life on the tour through the eyes of three girls. With magic footage and stellar photography, First Love will surprise, entertain and inspire a generation of female surfers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uCE6Guf-Ko

Almost Adults

Almost Adults, starring Carmilla favourites Elise Bauman and Natasha Negovanlis, is also set to come our way in 2016. The film is about a platonic love story between two life long best friends struggling to keep their friendship together as their lives head in different directions.

Also, look out for out actress Kate McKinnon in Ghostbusters, and hearing Ellen DeGeneres in Finding Dory.

How Female LGBT Characters Were Represented in the Media in 2015

Once upon a time, the discussion surrounding LGBT representation in the media was a numbers game and all we wanted to know was how many LGBT identified characters were depicted on the big and small screens.

But now, as more and more networks and studios have begun to feature LGBT stories in their works, the question is all about how those LGBT character were represented, rather than how many we could count.

With this said, Hollywood movies did well on both fronts in 2015. LGBT characters weren’t just main characters in a fair handful of movies  but there was nothing particularly eye-rolling or offensive about any of them either (we’ve come a long way from 2010’s The Kids Are All Right and 2013’s Blue Is The Warmest Colour).

Carol (which features Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara as two women who fall in love in the 1950s), Grandma (a lesbian poet accompanies her granddaughter as they try to drum up funds for the teen to have an abortion), Tangerine (two trans women go about finding their pimp) and Freeheld (a true and tragic story about a lesbian couple’s fight for benefits) have all gotten serious mainstream attention.

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Admittedly this is a small handful of films out of the hundreds released this year (we’ll have to wait until next year for GLAAD’s full breakdown on LGBT characters in films from major studios) but as mentioned, it’s a long way away from a few years ago.

TV also made some strides particularly in terms of queer women of colour and establishing queerness with younger audiences. On Orange is the New Black, Poussey and Soso seemed to be on the verge of a romance, as did Suzanne and Maureen.

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Meanwhile, How To Get Away With Murder’s lead character, Annalise Keating, rekindled her romance with her college girlfriend, and notable mentions go to Person Of Interest‘s Sameen Shaw who kissed Samantha “Root” Groves after episodes upon episodes of subtext and two of FOX’s new shows Grandfathered and Rosewood both featured black lesbians.

Viola Davis

Then, when it came to cartoons, Adventure Time got an entire miniseries that focused on queer vampire Marceline (and her canon relationship with Princess Bubblegum) and Steven Universe revealed that Garnet is actually a big lesbian up of two little lesbians who are so in love they can’t bare to separate.

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Also on SU there are Pearl’s (seemingly non-platonic feelings) for Rose, Amethyst and Peridot’s crushes on each other and the fact that Steven and his best friend Connie joined together (fused) to become ‘Stevonnie’, a character of colour who uses ‘they’ pronouns.

And not to forget The Legend of Korra, with the show ending with two bi women of colour (one of whom being the show’s main character) holding hands, signifying their canon relationship.

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That said, overall, TV was a mixed bag (though this is perhaps due to TV having LGBT women leading to a higher probability of TV writers mucking it up).

Although Faking It‘s writing team have said that Amy is a lesbian, they still decided to use Amy’s portrayed bisexuality as a chance for her girlfriend to be biphobic. And less offensive but still unsettling is the fact that of the characters on shows being portrayed as bisexual (such as Annalise Keating, Sarah Pfefferman on Transparent) you’d be unlikely to hear them actually say the word ‘bisexual’ .

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And while there’s a case to be made about TV showing that labels don’t matter,there are too many examples of this happening to suggest that that is always the case.

Moreover, Empire completely got it wrong as not only did lesbian billionaire Mimi Whiteman (Marisa Tomei) kiss Lucious Lyon (after showrunner and The L Word creator Ilene Chaiken hyped up the character’s arrival and her sexuality, no less) but it didn’t do (butch lesbian character) Freda Gatz justice either, seeing her get beaten in a rap battle just to further another character’s manpain.

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Also showing how TV got it wrong was Pretty Little Liars which, in addition to being a total story-writing trainwreck during season five, it was incredibly transphobic as well as the show’s main characters managed to misgender a newly out trans women and use her dead-name too.

So, if we had to rate the year in LGBT media (with LGBT female characters at least), then 2015 would get a solid 7: it’s pushing the boundaries and getting better, but clearly work needs to be done.

 

Top 10 LGBT Films Released in 2015

2015 was a really interesting (and important) year for LGBT movie-goers as more LGBT-themed films got accepted and publicised by the mainstream.

While that meant that we heard about some duds (such as Stonewall, which was rightfully ripped to shreds by critics), it also meant that some true cinematic diamonds got the spotlight they deserved.

So, to help you to sort the wheat from the chaff, here’s our list of the top 10 LGBT films released in 2015.

1. Carol

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Carol, based on Patricia Highsmith’s novel The Price of Salt, is one of the most talked about films of the year. Not only does it star Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara in a May-December relationship (that also has a class divide) but it’s also beautiful shot and the depiction of 1950s America is absolutely exquisite.
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Just about everyone has high praise for Carol and with its leading ladies having both picked up Golden Globes nominations for their brilliant performances in the movie, but it’s being tipped for Oscar nominations as well.

Long story short: if you can only see one film on this list, see Carol.

2. Freeheld

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Starring Ellen Page and Julianne Moore in a May-December relationship, based on a true story, Freeheld tells the tragic story about a police officer named Laurel Moore who is diagnosed with terminal cancer.

With the help of some friends, Moore and her domestic partner Stacie Andree fight to ensure that Laurel’s pension benefit get passed on to Stacie even after Laurel passes.

Prepare to shed some serious tears watching this one.

3. Grandma

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Grandma is an unusual twist on the buddy movie genre. It stars out actress Lily Tomlin as the titular grandma, who, after the death of her long-time partner and having split up with her girlfriend after four months, has to help out her 18-year old granddaughter.

Her granddaughter is pregnant and needs money for an abortion, but, being broke and having had her credit card confiscated by her mother, the two women have to find the cash for the procedure, opening old relationship wounds and rehashing old arguments along the way.

4. Liz In September

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Despite autumn being the best season of the year, this one doesn’t offer much to smile about as the titular ‘Liz’ is a lesbian who has terminal cancer. Things aren’t going much better for her love interest either as she has lost her son to cancer.

It sounds pretty miserable on paper, true, but Liz In September has gotten a warm reception from critics at least, especially for the performance of Patricia Velasquez (who came out this year) so it’s worth a watch.

5. The Danish Girl

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While The Danish Girl has been controversial for casting a cisgender actor as a trans woman, the film tells the real-life story of a trans woman name Lili Elbe who was one of the first people to get sex reassignment surgery.

The film sheds light on the changing relationship between Lili and her wife Gerda.

The film also shows the love triangle between the two women and Lili’s childhood friend; though divisively it veers form the real-life turn of events and sees Lili and Gerda stay together.

6. All About E

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Romance! Criminal hijinks! A queer woman of colour triumphing over a racist buffoon! All About E has got it all, as it stars the titular ‘E’ and her gay best friend as they get into trouble after accidentally steal money from the club where E works.

A gay Mission Impossible this is not, but it is a great deal of fun and you’ll really enjoy seeing E and her ex-girlfriend rekindle their relationship.

7. Summertime

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Blue Is The Warmest Colour take a seat; Summertime (La Belle Saison) is the best gay, French film on the block. Featuring farm girl Delphine as she leaves her parents place in the countryside to come to the city, the movie follows her as she meets a feminist named Carole who she promptly falls in love with.

Plot twist, Carole has a boyfriend and though Carole soon ditches him, there’s more drama when Delphine’s dad falls ill and suddenly she’s being forced to choose between staying with her heteronormative family (who want her to marry a man) and ditch her girlfriend or leave her family behind for the love of her life.

8. Reel In the Closet

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Stonewall, frankly, was a pile of rubbish and as mentioned, we don’t recommend that you watch it. At all. But, if you’re still looking for your LGBT history fix, Reel In The Closet is a brilliant alternative as not only does this documentary feature commentary from actual LGBT people who faced huge difficulties in the 20th century but it also features footage from the era too.

Admittedly, this one may make you well up as you learn exactly what struggles the older generation of LGBT folk had to face when they were younger, but it’s incredibly educational.

9. The Girl King

The Girl King

There are (and this is a rough approximation) 1 billion and one films about heterosexual historical figures getting married, cheating and dabbling in royal politics. So why can’t queer characters get the same movie tropes? Lucky for us, The Girl King solves that problem, focusing on the (very real) Queen Christina of Sweden as she assumes the throne at a young age following her father’s death.

A true rebel, despite her title, Christina is pretty fond of peace (despite everyone around her wanting war), wearing men’s clothing and sword-fighting too, but you’ll mostly likely be interested in her romance with Countess Ebba Sparre who becomes one of her ladies in waiting. It’s a bit over the top, and it’s not meant to be taken too seriously, but if you want to see a badass, queer queen, then give it a watch.

10. Tangerine

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This list began with a critically acclaimed movie that’s been gathering up awards and so it will end with another; Tangerine, a comedy/drama about two trans women of colour who go about locating their pimp.

In addition to showing a great step forward in film-making (it was filmed entirely on an iPhone), Tangerine could also potentially result in Oscar nominations for its two leads, which would make them the first trans actresses nominated for an Academy Award. Watch this if you want to see ground-breaking movie making in action.

NEW ‘Carol’ Clip Will Leave You Hungry For More (Video)

Cate Blanchett leave us totally seduced and wanting more in this new clip from upcoming movie Carol.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk_Xixo_P3g

In an adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s novel The Price of Salt, Carol follows two women from very different backgrounds who find themselves in an unexpected love affair in 1950s New York. As conventional norms of the time challenge their undeniable attraction, an honest story emerges to reveal the resilience of the heart in the face of change.

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The film has generated Oscar buzz since its May premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.

The Weinstein Company, which is distributing the film, is planning a slow platform release forCarol. Distribution won’t go wide until after Oscar nominations are announced in mid-January.

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Ruby Rose Joins Acting Elite With SAG Awards Nominations

Ruby Rose’s status in Hollywood continues to rise with the former MTV presenter being nominated with her Orange is the New Black cast members for best ensemble in a TV comedy series.

Uzo Aduba has scored her second nominations for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series for her portrayal of Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren.

The SAG Awards, along with rival awards show the Golden Globes, are key stepping stones for actors and films hoping to build momentum toward next month’s Oscar nomination ceremony.

Cate Blanchett is on track to pick up the seventh Oscar invite of her career after SAG voters in Los Angeles on Wednesday gave her a nod for her performance in the 1950s romantic-drama, Carol.

Blanchett’s Carol co-star Rooney Mara was nominated in the supporting actress category.

Viola Davis received a nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series for her role as Annalise Keating in the ABC series, How to Get Away with Murder.

Queen Latifah is up for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries in the HBO production, Bessie.

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Lily Tomlin (Grandma) and Sarah Silverman (I Smile Back) have also been nominated.

Tough Choice! Cate Blanchett & Rooney Mara Nominated In Same Category For Movie ‘Carol’ At Golden Globes

Hurrah, the nominations for the 2016 Golden Globes Awards, have been announced and leading the charge is Carol – a lesbian romance set in the 1950s – with both Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara being nominated in the same category for Best Actress.

Also vying for the award is Brie Larson (Room), Saoirse Ronan (Brooklyn) and Alicia Vikander (The Danish Girl)

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Carol is also nominated for Best Director, Original Score and Best Motion Picture.

Lily Tomlin has been nominated for two awards, Best Actress in a Television Comedy for her role in Frankie and Grace, and Best Actress in Comedy Movie for her role in Grandma.

She will be competing with Jennifer Lawrence, Melissa McCarthy, Amy Schumer, Maggie Smith for  The Lady in the Van.

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Queen Latifah (Bessie) competes with Lady Gaga (American Horror Story: Hotel), for Best Actress, Mini-Series or TV Movie.

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The Danish Girl lead Eddie Redmayne is also in contention for leading Best Actor Drama. He goes up against Bryan Cranston, Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael Fassbender, and Will Smith.

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Orange is the New Black’s Uzo Aduba is nominated for Best Supporting Actress. The show is also nominated for Best TV Series, Comedy/Musical alongside Transparent.

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The winners will be announced in a live televised ceremony on January 10, hosted by Ricky Gervais. This year will be the first since 2012 that is not hosted by Amy Poehler and Tina Fey, but Gervais is no stranger to the stage; next year will be his fourth time as host.

See below the full list of nominees who made the cut for this year‘s awards:

MOVIES

Best Picture, Drama

Carol
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Revenant
Room
Spotlight

Best Picture, Comedy or Musical

The Big Short
Joy
The Martian
Spy
Trainwreck

Best Director

Todd Haynes, Carol
Alejandro Innaritu, The Revenant
Tom McCarthy, Spotlight
George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road
Ridley Scott, The Martian

Best Actor, Drama

Bryan Cranston, Trumbo
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl
Will Smith, Concussion

Best Actress, Drama

Cate Blanchett, Carol
Brie Larson, Room
Rooney Mara, Carol
Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn
Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl

Best Actor, Comedy

Christian Bale, The Big Short
Steve Carell, The Big Short
Matt Damon, The Martian
Al Pacino, Danny Collins
Mark Ruffalo, Infinitely Polar Bear

Best Actress, Comedy

Jennifer Lawrence, Joy
Melissa McCarthy, Spy
Amy Schumer, Trainwreck
Maggie Smith, The Lady in the Van
Lily Tomlin, Grandma

Best Supporting Actor

Paul Dano, Love & Mercy
Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation
Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies
Michael Shannon, 99 Homes
Sylvester Stallone, Creed

Best Supporting Actress

Jane Fonda, Youth
Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight
Helen Mirren, Trumbo
Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina
Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs

Best Screenplay

Emma Donoghue, Room
Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer, Spotlight
Charles Randolph and Adam McKay, The Big Short
Aaron Sorkin, Steve Jobs
Quentin Tarantino, The Hateful Eight

Best Original Score

Carter Burwell, Carol
Alexandre Desplat, The Danish Girl
Ennio Morricone, The Hateful Eight
Daniel Pemberton, Steve Jobs
Ryuichi Sakamoto & Alva Noto, The Revenant

Best Original Song

“Love Me Like You Do,” Fifty Shades of Grey
“One Kind of Love,” Love & Mercy
“See You Again,” Furious 7
“Simple Song #3,” Youth
“Writing’s On the Wall,” Spectre

Best Animated Feature Film

Anomalisa
The Good Dinosaur
Inside Out
The Peanuts Movie
Shaun the Sheep Movie

Best Foreign Language Film

The Brand New Testament
The Club
The Fencer
Mustang
Son of Saul

TELEVISION

Best TV Series, Drama

Empire
Game of Thrones
Mr. Robot
Narcos
Outlander

Best TV Series, Comedy/Musical
Casual
Mozart in the Jungle
Orange is the New Black
Silicon Valley
Transparent
Veep

Best TV Miniseries or Movie

American Crime
American Horror Story: Hotel
Fargo
Flesh and Bone
Wolf Hall

Best Actor, Drama

Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Rami Malek, Mr. Robot
Wagner Moura, Narcos
Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul
Liev Schrieber, Ray Donovan

Best Actress, Drama

Caitriona Balfe, Outlander
Viola Davis, How to Get Away With Murder
Eva Green, Penny Dreadful
Taraji P. Henson, Empire
Robin Wright, House of Cards

Best Actor, Comedy

Aziz Ansari, Master of None
Gael Garcia Bernal, Mozart in the Jungle
Rob Lowe, The Grinder
Patrick Stewart, Blunt Talk
Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent

Best Actress, Comedy

Rachel Bloom, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Jamie Lee Curtis, Scream Queens
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Gina Rodriguez, Jane the Virgin
Lily Tomlin, Grace and Frankie

Best Supporting Actor

Alan Cumming, The Good Wife
Damian Lewis, Wolf Hall
Tobias Menzies, Outlander
Ben Mendelsohn, Bloodline
Christian Slater, Mr. Robot

Best Supporting Actress

Uzo Aduba, Orange is the New Black
Joanne Froggatt, Downton Abbey
Regina King, American Crime
Judith Light, Transparent
Maura Tierney, The Affair

Best Actor, Mini-Series or TV Movie

Idris Elba, Luther
Oscar Isaac, Show Me A Hero
David Oyelowo, Nightingale
Mark Rylance, Wolf Hall
Patrick Wilson, Fargo

Best Actress, Mini-Series or TV Movie

Kirsten Dunst, Fargo
Lady Gaga, American Horror Story: Hotel
Sarah Hay, Flesh and Bone
Felicity Huffman, American Crime
Queen Latifah, Bessie

Must Watch: ‘Carol’ Featurette Includes Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Sarah Paulson Interviews

In an adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s novel The Price of Salt, Carol follows two women from very different backgrounds who find themselves in an unexpected love affair in 1950s New York. As conventional norms of the time challenge their undeniable attraction, an honest story emerges to reveal the resilience of the heart in the face of change.

carol-poster-01

In the latest featurette, we get a behind the scenes look at the people who brought Carol to the silver screen so exquisitely.

This clip not only features Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, who play the leading lovers, but also director Todd Haynes and co-star Sarah Paulson, who plays Carol’s former lover and current confidant.

Watch the clip below, then make plans to catch Carol as soon as possible:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=31&v=PVL_L5tkE4c

The film has generated Oscar buzz since its May premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.

The Weinstein Company, which is distributing the film, is planning a slow platform release for Carol. Distribution won’t go wide until after Oscar nominations are announced in mid-January.

The new featurette allows viewers to go behind the scenes and hear from the entire ensemble cast, including Sarah Paulson, who plays a former lover of Carol in the film.

Sarah Paulson Talks Carol, American Horror Story And Dating (Video)

Whether you know her from Down With Love, or her work on every incarnation of American Horror Story, or The Spirit or Martha Marcy May Marlene or 12 Years A Slave, you have probably had some great experience with 0ut actress Sarah Paulson by now.

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She is an award-winning star who is becoming a household name. In a new interview, Paulson speaks with David Poland in depth about her latest film Carol and a career in acting.

Watch the in-depth interview below:

Sarah Paulson Talks The Aftermath Of Coming Out And New Movie ‘Carol’

Sarah Paulson is not only one of our favourite actresses in Ryan Murphy’s FX hit American Horror Story, but she is set to shine in Carol this weekend, as Cate Blanchett’s former flame, Abby.

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She recently sat with Pride Source to reflect on her accidental coming out experience, the on-going debate whether actors need to be gay in order to play gay, and her convictions over who she is.

I refuse to give any kind of label just to satisfy what people need.”

In 2005, when then-girlfriend Cherry Jones was named a winner at the Tony Awards, Paulson planted a sweet kiss on Jones’ lips and outed herself to the world.

On the aftermath of coming out Paulson had this to say;

The truth of the matter is, it was early enough in my career that there have been no attachments made to me as a performer. I think the thing that makes it somewhat easier in terms of there not having been ramifications is that I’m a character actress—nobody is assigning a particular kind of sexual anything to me, I don’t think…it just seems if you’re sort of known for being a sex kitten…then you end up being a total femme fatale actress, and then all of a sudden you make a statement about your sexuality, it becomes news. Whereas I’m a character actress; I can do a lot of things. I don’t think anybody’s made one particular association with me that would then make them go, “Well, I can’t see her this way now.”

She also added

I do think it’s more important, and I know that Matt Damon got a terrible amount of flak for the way he phrased those things (earlier this year, he said: “People shouldn’t know anything about your sexuality because that’s one of the mysteries that you should be able to play.”), but the sentiment is still true: My personal life… I’m not gonna hide it from you, but I also don’t want you to think about that before you think about the character I’m playing. And so I want that to be of paramount importance – it’s of paramount importance to me that you believe the story I’m trying to be a part of telling you, and if my personal life is going to get in the way of that, I don’t like that at all.

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On Carol and how people assume Cate Blanchett must have had relationships with women in order to portray a lesbian:

Is anyone asking George Clooney what he likes about having sex with a woman? Nobody does. It’s a foregone conclusion that it’s just an acceptable reality and nobody thinks to bother to ask. But you have a story about two women together or two men together and all of a sudden it becomes fair game and assumptions are made that are just never made in the reverse, and I just think it’s terribly unfair.

Why is anyone making assumptions about anything about anybody’s life? It’s a funny thing when actors complain, like, “I didn’t ask for this; I just wanted to act.” Well, in a perfect world we’d all just be able to act and none of this would be part of it, but it is a part of it—this is part of it—and on some level, it comes with the territory. But on another level, you can be responsible and you can control what you will talk about and what you won’t talk about. Either you live your life in a very private way or you don’t, and I never have done that—ever—and I won’t do it going forward. I also won’t serve it up on a platter for someone to feast on, because it’s mine.

About her experience working on a movie, and how it reflects on her own sexuality, she added.

What it really made me think about is the power of love and how, at the end of the day, love is love, period. The end. It sounds cliche, but I think most cliches are cliches because they’re very, very true. And it’s very interesting, because I’ve been with men and women, and (the movie) puts a very fine point on that truth, which is that it’s very personal and that love is love, and sometimes you love a person you weren’t expecting to love – and how glorious is that?

SARAH PAULSON stars in CAROL

SARAH PAULSON stars in CAROL

On labelling herself

Because I refuse to give any kind of label just to satisfy what people need. I understand that everybody wants to have a person to look toward that is actively making change around this issue, and I understand for young people coming out they want to attach that hope to a particular person, but I think that honesty is the most important piece of this for me.

All I can say is, I’ve done both, and I don’t let either experience define me. I don’t let having been with a man make me think I am heterosexual, or make me want to call myself that, because I know I have been attracted to women – and have lived with women. So, for me, I’m not looking to define myself, and I’m sorry if that is something that is seen as a rejection of or an unwillingness to embrace (my sexuality) in a public way, but it’s simply not. It’s simply what’s true for me, and that’s all I can speak to.

On being a LGBT role model, she added.

I do, and I think sometimes within the community itself people are like, “You have a responsibility to it – young people need the voices, we need the voices, we need people to see it.” And I get it. But my reality is different than your reality. I have had different experiences.

Carol opens in theaters in New York and Los Angeles Nov. 20.

Read Cate Blanchett’s Amazing Response To Questions About Her Sexuality

Since being paid to play gay, Cate Blanchett has been faced with the question about her sexuality.

When she was faced with this question a few months ago, she decided to turn the question on it’s head.

Yes. Many times.”

We all saw that comment, and our heart skipped a beat. But then days later, She later clarified her answer at a press conference.

However, in a recent interview with the Guardian Blanchett explained exactly what she was doing.

I also just played Mary Mapes, who’s a journalist. No one asked me how long I’d been to journalism school. If I played someone who has an affair, I think a reporter would probably think twice before asking, ‘Ooh, how many affairs have you had?’ It would be a slightly delicate area.

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But there are no holds barred about asking me whether I’ve had relationships with women. And so I facetiously said, ‘Oh yes, I’ve had many relationships with women’ – because frankly, who hasn’t? Of course I said it in inverted commas. But the inverted commas didn’t make the page.”

Recently Blanchett has called for more diversity in portrayals of gay people on screen.

Carol opens in cinemas on Nov 27.

Suited and Booted: Kate Winslet Smoulders On the Cover Of L’Uomo Vogue

We’ll just leave this here…

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This isn’t the first time L’Uomo Vogue has gone this way; in 2014 Cate Blanchett also got the men’s-suit-noir treatment.

Kate Winslet Suit 03

Kate Winslet Suit 02

Winslet’s photos are by Peter Lindbergh, and on the inside of the magazine Winslet appears in other traditionally male outfits: Oversized coats, Oxford shoes, a cigarette dangling from her fingers. The overall noir look is smoky and red hot.

Cate Blanchett Calls For More Diversity In LGBT Characters We See On Screen

Speaking of her new role in Carol – in which Cate Blanchett plays a woman in a same-sex relationship – the actress said it was frustrating because many people expect their own relationships to be represented.

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Talking to The Guardian, she said

The problem is that when you represent a character in a same-sex relationship, it’s like you have to represent them all.

You become a spokesperson, which really isn’t the point. When the time comes that we have a diversity of same-sex couples in film, then the problem is solved, I don’t have to stand for everyone.”

In the film, Blanchett’s character, an older woman in 1950s New York, has an affair with a younger woman, who is played by Rooney Mara.

The Highsmith novel, also published under the name The Price of Salt, was ground-breaking in its portrayal of a romance between two women.

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At a time when most lesbian love stories were resigned to pulp fiction with doomed characters, the characters in this novel are given a realistic relationship and a chance at a happy ending.

One her character, Blanchett added;

I read a lot of girl-on-girl books from the period. I think there are a lot of people that exist like [Carol] who don’t feel the need to shout things from the rafters.”

Blanchett recently said she was misquoted when it was widely reported she had said she had had sexual relationships with women.

Carol opens in cinemas on Nov 27.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4z7Px68ywk

‘Carol’ Review Round-Up: What Do Critics Say About the Upcoming Movie?

Upcoming movie Carol isn’t just one of the most highly anticipated lesbian-featuring films of the year (along with Freeheld and Grandma), it’s one of the most highly anticipated films of 2015, standard.
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The film, which is based on the Patricia Highsmith novel The Price of Salt, is set in 1952 and stars Cate Blanchett as a married, 46-year old socialite who falls for Rooney Mara’s character, who is a 30-year old shop clerk.

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The film breaks ground for a few reasons, as not only is it part of a rare group of films to portray May/December romances (romances between a younger person and an older person) but Carol also covers the class gap between the two women as well.

Blanchett and Mara have been praised for their performances in the film and those who have been lucky enough to see it at film festivals have said that both women are strong Oscar contenders.

So, with a few weeks to go until the film is released at the box office, we’ve put together a Carol review round-up, featuring the excerpts from several different critics.

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Alicia Adejobi – International Business Times:

Todd Haynes has crafted a visually stunning picture with Carol, a lesbian love story brought to life with remarkable performances by Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara. Although for all its beauty, Carol concludes with a sense that it could have been rounded-off with a better developed story.

…Carol surprisingly has very little dialogue. Instead, Haynes develops the love story by playing on Mara and Blanchett’s natural chemistry which results in many scenes where not much happens but a stripped conversation about trivial matters. Still, where Carol does fall flat in fleshing out an otherwise one-dimensional premise, it makes up in the talents of the core cast, which includes terrific support from Sarah Paulson as Carol‘s long-time friend and confidante and Kyle Chandler as Harge.”

Score: 3 out of 5

Justin Chang – Variety:

…high expectations don’t quite prepare you for the startling impact of Carol, an exquisitely drawn, deeply felt love story that teases out every shadow and nuance of its characters’ inner lives with supreme intelligence, breathtaking poise and filmmaking craft of the most sophisticated yet accessible order.”

Score: n/a

Jason Bailey – Flavorwire:

The performances are predictably astonishing; Mara has a way of conveying the fullness of her character in an offhand line reading, and the variations in Blanchett’s tight smile tell, in their own way, the film’s entire story.

The picture is gorgeous, which is no surprise from Mr. Haynes — lushly photographed by Lachman (yet in grain-pushing Super16, to keep the image from seeming too immaculate, its New York streets a noticeable contrast to Heaven’s squeaky-clean Sirkian suburbs), magnificently costumed by Sandy Powell, every car gleaming, every tchotchke in place. These rooms and stores seem to close in on our heroines; ultimately, they cannot contain them.”

Score n/a

Heather Hogan – Autostraddle:

I was so intoxicated by Carol I wanted to sit down in the middle of the sidewalk on the New York City street and close my eyes and relive every detail, over and over, until I could play it backwards and forwards on a loop in my own imagination for forever.

…To value the rarity of seeing a lesbian film stitched together with such accomplished precision it makes me wish the word “epic” hadn’t been completely diluted so I could bring the full weight of its meaning to bear on this love story. Extraordinary? Singular? Remarkable? Yes, all of those things too.

Perhaps the best praise I can give Carol is that ten minutes into it, I forgot it was my job to be a critic. Twenty minutes in, I forgot I was watching a movie at all.”

Score: n/a

While these are just a handful of reviews, the majority of the opinions we read for this piece were incredibly positive. From being called ‘flawless’ and ‘phenomenal’ and ‘the best lesbian movie ever’, to Cate Blanchett being called ‘the world’s last true movie star’, everybody everywhere has something good to say about Carol.

The fact that the film has less dialogue than most won’t be for everyone, though, but for many people Carol’s gorgeous shots and the sometimes wordless acting, the expressions and the framing of the scene should be enough.

Carol will be available at the box office on November 20 (United States) and November 27 (United Kingdom).

Also read: Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara Talk On-Screen Chemistry For ‘Carol’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4z7Px68ywk

Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara Talk On-Screen Chemistry For ‘Carol’

Carol screened at the BFI London Film Festival last week, with leading ladies, Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, on show to share details about some of the film’s most intimate details.

The film, based on Patricia Highsmith’s 1952 lesbian novel The Price of Salt, is helmed by out director Todd Haynes (Far From Heaven) and stars Blanchett who plays alluring married woman Carol Aird, who meets young department store clerk Therese Belivet, played by Mara.

The couple form an instant connection and fall in love. Carol faces losing custody of her daughter in a bitter divorce battle because of her affair with a woman.

The movie’s integral moment when the women finally consummate their affair was treated with nothing but the utmost care according to both actresses as well as director Todd Haynes (Far from Heaven).

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Discussion on the red carpet, Blanchett said;

They’re scenes and they’re really important. You always have to scrutinise and ask hard questions of those scenes – how necessary are they? But the consummation of their (Carol and Therese’s) relationship is really important.

It’s just about how we were going to do it. We talked about the scene and there’s a great sense of trust between Rooney and I.”

Blanchett went on to say it was a “relief” when the scene was filmed between them,

Both characters are quite isolated – not only because their feelings set them apart from others, but the gap in their ages. They go through these volcanic feelings towards one another so it was a relief to do the scenes with Rooney. Finally we get to be together.”

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Mara added that she felt “comfortable” with Blanchett, saying;

Getting to work opposite Cate was a dream. She’s a very generous actor and super prepared but also she’s very alive and in the moment. I don’t know if many people know this but she’s also really funny – this incredible Australian sense of humour and wit about her.”

Both Blanchett and Mara have been widely tipped for Oscar nominations for their roles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Azts8KZfBpY

Haynes also discuss the necessity of a comfortable, respectful environment when shooting love scenes,

We do our best to all talk about it together, me and the actors, to know exactly what they’re calling for narratively to how we’re going to shoot it so they feel as comfortable and prepared as possible,” he described of the process, “This is an essential component of the story and in that regard, there was no doubting it or feeling like it’s exploitative in any way.”

Carol opens November 20th, so get ready to soon fall even more in love with this film and its co-stars than you already are.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4z7Px68ywk

New ‘Carol’ Trailer: Watch Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara Embrace Forbidden Love

A second official trailer for Carol has arrived, and the most in-depth look at the romantic lesbian film – swoon.

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The film, based on Patricia Highsmith’s 1952 lesbian novel The Price of Salt, is helmed by out director Todd Haynes (Far From Heaven) and stars Cate Blanchett as Carol, a socialite housewife who falls in love with a store clerk, Therese (Rooney Mara).

Sarah Paulson also stars, playing Carol’s (Cate Blanchett) best friend, along with Carrie Brownstein, and Kyle Chandler.

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This particular trailer features a glimpse at the intimate romance between Carol and Therese, and the series of consequences their affair has on those around them.

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Carol’s grounded yet emotional voice-over is giving us serious goose-bumps.

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Roll on November 20th, when we’ll all get the chance to experience this beautiful drama for ourselves.

Carol has already seen impressive success at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Watch the trailer below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4z7Px68ywk

‘Carol’ Features a May/December Lesbian Romance, Is an Oscar Contender

When it comes to TV shows, queer women don’t have it so great with representation as the few characters we do see are typically young, white and femme. When it comes to film, the picture is even worse as one the rare occasion that we see queer female characters in films, they almost always end up cheating on their female partners with men, or they barely get one line to say.

But as luck would have it, there will be plenty of lesbian representation to choose from in the run up to ‘Oscar’ season, where films are released with the best possible chance at being nominated (and eventually winning) an Academy Award. Several films are garnering Oscar buzz, including Carol, Freeheld and Grandma.

Carol, which stars Cate Blanchett in the title role, is based on the Patricia Highsmith novel, The Price of Salt.

Set in 1952, Carol, who’s 46 and married, meets and falls for a shop clerk named Therese (played by Rooney Mara) who is 30 years old. That plot alone would be interesting to watch – the two women have a class difference as well as that age gap – and it seems that critics have really taken to it.

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Not only did Carol win the Queer Palm awards at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year (which is awarded to the best LGBTQ+ movie at the event), but reviews of the movie have also been incredible positive. One review suggested that Blanchett and Mara carry the film with ‘glamorous allure’ while another said that the film is a ‘masterpiece’ from director Todd Haynes. It’s also said that to be a strong Oscar contender.

And then there’s Freeheld which stars Julianne Moore and Ellen Page (in another May/December relationship), a drama based on a real story. In real life, a police officer named Laurel Hester was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer and wished for her pension benefits to be passed on to her domestic partner Stacie Andree. Not only is this film a real tearjerker (albeit a hopeful one) but the cast is made up of many actors who have won or have been nominated for Oscars – something which could positively influence Oscar voters into supporting the film.

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Grandma, meanwhile, stars Lily Tomlin (who is gay in real life) as a 75-year old lesbian grandmother who breaks up with her 40-year old girlfriend and goes on an adventure with her granddaughter as they try and raise $600 before sundown.

Stellar performances are presented throughout this movie but according to critics, Tomlin really shines, which is why some are quite certain that she’ll get an Oscar nomination too.

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Unfortunately we won’t know which films are nominated until sometime in January, but the fact that these three movies are in the running at all is brilliant.

As mentioned, queer female representation in Hollywood is abysmal – especially when it comes to older women (and older women in relationships with younger women too) – and so it’s incredibly uplifting to see that some some filmmakers are bucking a trend. Roll on 2016.

 

Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara Fall in Love in First Trailer For Oscar-Tipped ‘Carol’

WOW! Its here, and its what lesbian dreams are made of – *Swoon* – the Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara led lesbian love story, Carol.

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Based on Patricia Highsmith’s 1952 semi-autobiographical novel The Price Of Salt, the film is set against the glamorous backdrop of 1950s New York.

Carol, played by Blanchett, is a married woman who risks everything when she embarks on a romance with a younger department store worker Therese, played by Rooney Mara.

It set critics buzzing with praise at the Cannes Film Festival. On Metacritics, 98% of movie experts gave the film five out of five stars. And now the world has Blanchett pegged for another Oscar, which would be her third after The Aviator and Blue Jasmine.

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For direct Todd Haynes, this is just the latest of his feature films to focus on sexual and gender identity. His third film, Velvet Goldmine, focused on bisexual glam rock star in 1970s London. His fourth, Far From Heaven, starred Julianne Moore as a 1950s housewife whose husband (Dennis Quaid) comes out. And his last movie, I’m Not There, starred Blanchett in a gender-bending portrayal of Bob Dylan.

Carol is scheduled for limited release, premiering in the US on 20 November and in the UK on 27 November.