Tag: LGBTQ representation (page 1 of 3)

ANNE+ Season 2: Why You Want to Watch the New Season

27 February 2020 / / Comments Off on ANNE+ Season 2: Why You Want to Watch the New Season

About 1.5 years ago, I was fortunate enough to watch ANNE+ before it premiered. I reviewed this new lesbian series from The Netherlands for you in a blog post and a video. I thought it was amazing to be able to talk about a project from my country for a change. Apparently, you thought so too. This video is my most popular video to this date! For a long time, the series wasn’t available to international viewers yet. As of January 17, the YouTube videos are open beyond the Dutch borders as well. In this review, I expect you to have watched the first season, but I won’t give away spoilers. I was so excited to watch ANNE+ season 2 and below, you can read why you want to watch the new season too.

‘ANNE+ Season 2: Why You Want to Watch the New Season’ I was so excited to watch ANNE+ season 2 and here, you can read why you want to watch the new season too: http://bit.ly/AnnePlusS2

ANNE+ season 2: new storyline

Where are the makers taking ANNE+ season 2? The plot of season 1 was clear in advance: Anne reflects on the relationships she had in her college days and on how they shaped her as a person. Hence the plus in the title: each episode focused on one of her relationships. Realistically, the same principle can´t be applied to a new season. As I said in my previous review, though, the creators did leave a big opening for a future storyline.

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ANNE+ season 2

Where does the story start in the next season? In season 2, Anne is 24 and she seems to have it all figured out. She works at a creative agency. She has a girlfriend and a lot of friends. Anne also has her own place in Amsterdam.

Still, her life isn´t going the way she really wants it to go. Anne wants something different. But she doesn´t know where to start and she constantly gets distracted. Then an ex shows up on her doorstep unannounced. This happens at the same time she has trouble with another ex.

Normally, you can go to the people around you to talk, but her parents are having their own problems and sometimes, her friends have their own things to deal with. And she should also really take a look at all those bills that are coming in. Being an adult is different from what she expected. How do you do that: balancing friends, work and relationships?

ANNE+ season 2 brings diversity to the cast

One of the things that make me happy this season is the diversity of the cast. Anne’s (ex) relationships and friends are from mixed backgrounds. With the transgender character, there is a big focus on his transition. Still, you can say that this series handles it better than other productions. This character comes across as a very strong individual and draws strength from the transition. He also clearly sets his boundaries. Many times, productions often highlight the difficult and sad parts of their lives. I write this review as a white, cisgender woman, so you might experience this diversity differently.

What I also like is that in this series, you also see men as friends. In lesbian productions, you often see the storyline only revolve around women and there is much resentment against men. Here, you see Anne having male friends, without emphasizing the differences between men and women. They are just there and you can be friends with them as an LGBT+ woman. Refreshing! Or maybe not?

Laura Gómez plays a role

Nice addition to the cast: Laura Gómez. You know her as Blanca Flores from Orange is the New Black. She saw the first season of ANNE+ at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York and wanted to participate in the second season. I have only been able to watch the first 4 episodes, but in the fourth episode, I saw her in the preview of episode 5, where she attends a wedding. So, I can’t tell you if she only guest-stars in episode 5 or in more episodes. Either way: that’s such a cool addition!

‘ANNE+ Season 2: Why You Want to Watch the New Season’ I was so excited to watch ANNE+ season 2 and here, you can read why you want to watch the new season too: http://bit.ly/AnnePlusS2

Humor

ANNE+ has a real sense of humor. The biggest way they add humor to the series is when you hear Anne’s thoughts out loud. They are a direct commentary on what Anne is experiencing in the scene. I often find it very relatable.

And yes, you often notice that Anne says the opposite of what she thinks in her head. There’s also a sense of humor in that: the difference between what society wants you to say and what you actually want. Fortunately, from time to time, they also show positive results when Anne does the opposite of what she actually wants. Because sometimes, it is also about stepping out of your comfort zone and learning things.

Edge

A strong point of this series is that they don’t let Anne be perfect. Yes, the series revolves around Anne but sometimes, you simply don’t like her. Sometimes you disagree with her. And sometimes, you understand why she has an angry outburst when she’s with her friends. It’s not nice to watch, but you know where it comes from. That edge makes her character very relatable. Because in reality, you also know that you’re not being reasonable from time to time and that your behavior isn’t very nice for others.

Where can you watch ANNE+ season 2?

The world premiere is on Monday, March 2 in Amsterdam. If you live in The Netherlands, you can watch the second season of ANNE+ from March 3: BNNVARA on NPO 3 at 10:25 pm. This season has more episodes and they will last longer. That means more ANNE+! You can also binge-watch the whole season on NPO Start Plus from March 3.

If you’re not in The Netherlands, you can’t watch it yet. They have just done the international release of the first season. All those episodes are available on YouTube. They have English, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.

‘Ik ben genomineerd voor de John Blankenstein Prijs 2019!’ Wat fijn dat ik het eindelijk met jullie kan delen. Ik ben met Meemoeder.com genomineerd voor de John Blankenstein Prijs 2019! Ik vind het echt een enorme eer en ik wil iedereen bedanken die mij heeft voorgedragen als kandidaat. Hier leg ik uit wat de prijs inhoudt, hoe de uitreiking gaat en wat het voor me betekent dat ik ben voorgedragen: http://bit.ly/JohnBlankenstein2019

I’ve been nominated for an LGBT+ award in The Hague!

15 December 2019 / / Comments Off on I’ve been nominated for an LGBT+ award in The Hague!

I’ve been nominated for an LGBT+ award in The Hague!

I’m so happy I can finally share it with you! I’ve been nominated for the John Blankenstein Prijs 2019 with Meemoeder.com! This is an LGBT+ award in my city of The Hague. It’s such an honor, and I would like to thank everyone who has recommended me as a candidate. Below, I will explain what the award means, what the process is like, and what being nominated means to me. 

If you want to read the Dutch version of this blog post, you can find it here.

‘I’ve been nominated for an LGBT+ award in The Hague!’ I’m so happy I can finally share it with you! I’ve been nominated for the John Blankenstein Prijs 2019 with Meemoeder.com! This is an LGBT+ award in my city of The Hague. It’s such an honor, and I would like to thank everyone who has recommended me as a candidate. Here, I explain what the award means, what the process is like, and what being nominated means to me: http://bit.ly/JohnBlankenstein2019EN

What is this LGBT+ award called John Blankenstein Prijs 2019?

The Municipality of The Hague initiated the John Blankenstein Prijs in 2009. This annual LGBT+ emancipation award was created to highlight and stimulate initiatives that contribute to the LGBT+ emancipation. The award is named after the late referee John Blankenstein. The former referee openly came out and has done a lot for LGBT+ people in sports and society. That is why his sister Karin founded the John Blankenstein Foundation in 2008, which advocates acceptance of the LGBT+ community in sports.

With the annual granting of the John Blankenstein Prijs, the Municipality of The Hague marks the importance of opening up about LGBT+ issues and provides a platform for LGBT+ initiatives. Anyone who contributes to this is eligible for the award. COC Haaglanden is in charge of the organization of the award, which is the local chapter of our country’s biggest advocacy organization.

Ceremony John Blankenstein Prijs 2019

The ceremony is this Wednesday evening. Out of the twenty-two candidates, eleven candidates were nominated. I am one of those final eleven nominees. It is a great honor for me to be on this beautiful list of LGBT+ initiatives from The Hague.

The jury consists of Karin Blankenstein, Kasia Oberc, and Winston van Niel. From these eleven nominees, they have already selected a top three. This top three and the final winner will be announced by alderman Bert van Alphen during the ceremony. That’s pretty exciting!

The winner will receive an amount of €2,500 that should benefit the promotion of LGBT+ emancipation. Moreover, the winner can count on publicity for a whole year as an ambassador. I don’t dare to dream about what I could do with that prize money and publicity. That could really contribute to the quality and growth of my website and YouTube channel, which in turn would help in how I reach LGBT+ people worldwide. However, with ten other beautiful initiatives, there’s not a high probability 😉

Recognition with this LGBT+ award

It hasn’t been easy, especially last year, to keep Meemoeder.com’s website and YouTube channel running, to publish blogs in Dutch that are of use to (future) lesbian parents, and to publish blogs, vlogs, and interviews in English about queer representation in media. Maybe that’s why it feels so good that I get this recognition at the end of 2019. I feel supported by the people who nominated me as a candidate.

Not many people in The Hague know what I do. I mainly reach national and international LGBT+ people. That’s what makes this nomination so special to me; it’s an LGBT+ award in my own city. Whether I win or not, I want everyone to know how special it feels and how grateful I am!

Love,

Greetje den Holder

RED Webseries Interview LFF2019 [Part 2]

8 August 2019 / / Comments Off on RED Webseries Interview LFF2019 [Part 2]

RED Webseries Interview LFF2019 [Part 2]

The most magical moment of Love Fan Fest 2019 for me was the interview I had with Ana Paula Lima, Luciana Bollina, and Germana Belo of RED. This is the first part of the interview. In the second part of this interview, we discussed season four and five, the shooting style of RED, and how they do not pick sides when it comes to their characters’ relationship. Or, they might. Below, the questions and answers of this RED webseries interview LFF2019 have been written down, but you can also watch the video under this image. 

‘RED Webseries Interview LFF2019 [Part 2]’ The most magical moment of Love Fan Fest 2019 for me was the interview I had with Ana Paula Lima, Luciana Bollina, and Germana Belo of RED. In the second half of this interview, we discussed season four and five, the shooting style of RED, and how they do not pick sides when it comes to their characters’ relationship. Or, they might: http://bit.ly/RED2LFF

RED webseries interview LFF2019: season four

Me: “We were still talking about season four, and I thought it was so well done. I really felt the hurt while watching it grow apart. I had a hard time watching that relationship coming to an end. For me, the most heartbreaking to watch was when your character [speaking to Ana] was actually becoming more uncomfortable with the relationship and who she was becoming, but you didn’t say anything. Those scenes where you did not say anything, and you just watched, those are so powerful. I was wondering, how did you prepare for those?”

Ana Paula Lima: “We have been doing this for such a long time, like for five years. Each year, I get to know Liz better. I think she has changed a lot and she changed me as well. It’s funny because it’s like I have all those feelings with me since the first season. She is a character that struggles all the time with what her feelings are and how she should deal with that. So yeah, I think it comes organically because of her, you know?”

Backstory

Ana: “The more I get to know her, and why she acts like this, it’s what feeds me to put this feeling in the scene. I’m like: okay, she thinks like this and she thinks like this because of this. Sometimes, I create a story for myself that Germana didn’t give to me. What happened to her when she was a child? Who is her mom? Who is her dad? How does she feel when she has a lot of people around her? Does she feel awkward or not awkward, you know? This feeds me a lot.”

RED webseries interview LFF2019: finally watching season four

Me: “Did you both feel differently after reading the script for season four and finally watching it on screen?”

Luciana Bollina: “It’s always a surprise because Fernando doesn’t let us see anything. Nothing! It’s ergh. Now, we are used to it, but in the first season, I was like: ‘Why Fernando? Come on, let me see this.’ ‘No. Just when I finish it.’ So, seven months later, we can see it. It’s a really good surprise, actually.”

Ana: “Now, we trust each other so much. That’s what is beautiful because then we can really jump to the characters, and I think it’s amazing when I watch. Nowadays, I don’t want to watch. I want to be surprised, and I always do this. So, that’s what I think is amazing; we really trust each other to work like this. It’s special.”

RED webseries interview LFF2019: handheld camera

Me: “One thing that makes RED unique to me is the way it is shot. You can tell it’s often done with a handheld camera. I don’t know what the technique is. Either the camera is really close to your face, or it’s really zoomed in. Did you have to get used to that in the beginning? Was it awkward, or was it fine?”

Luciana: “It was very funny at the beginning. Yeah. We were on the bed, and Fernando was like here [gestures]. One foot here, one foot there and the camera like here [gestures]. Fernando was like this [imitates]. And Ana and I had to like [mimics making out]. It was very funny.”

Germana: “We had one lens. So, to do a close-up, he [shows the camera in Luciana’s face]. They would have to be sexy and feel so into it and Fernando, well, it was almost like a threesome.”

[All laugh]

Luciana: “It was really, really funny. But Fernando is a very serious man. So, we would laugh, and Fernando would be like [serious voice] ‘Okay.’ Okay, breathe, breathe. Because I would start laughing and he would be like [serious voice again] ‘Okay, next scene.’”

RED webseries interview LFF2019: season five

Me: “Can we talk about season five, or is it too early?

Ana: “No, we can talk, yeah! For me, what is special in this season is that we get to know the characters by themselves. How is Liz just with Liz? How is Mel being Mel? It is not about relationships just with each other. It’s the relationships they have with themselves. What are they struggling with, and why? And that’s what makes it special because our time to tell the story is so short that sometimes, we miss these details. So, this season five is special to me for this. We don’t miss this; it’s about this.”

RED webseries interview LFF2019: Victoria

Me: “My next question is not a question. I’m just going to say something, and then you can respond. It’s a name: Victoria.”

[Luciana starts laughing]

Ana: “Who is Victoria? Tell me!”

[Both laugh]

Ana: “An amazing friend, co-working friend. Bela is the best, a really, really great actress.”

Luciana: “You know, there’s always an ex. So, it’s a representative character that the past is there and something that was special. So, I think it was a very interesting conflict between them. But I have my opinion.”

[we all laugh]

Conflict

Luciana: “Yeah. I really don’t understand Liz. No, I get the struggle but oh my God, tell me. All the silence is killing me, killing Mel. As an audience, I was like: ‘Oh Liz, tell her and fix it. That’s okay. She didn’t love her.’”

Ana: “And I was like, ‘Well if she didn’t love her, why?’ But we don’t take sides. We don’t judge.”

[Both laugh]

Me: “Why did you write Victoria into the story?”

Germana: “We imagined Mel’s ex in the first season, and we planned to bring her, maybe not exactly how it turned out to be. But we decided that if we got to season three or four, we had this background story for Mel that included an ex.”

Exes

Germana: “But what I think was interesting was that she didn’t come in to be between them. What you see and the reason why they grow apart was not because of Victoria. It was mostly because of Liz’ issues with the relationship and insecurities, and how she could no longer recognize herself in that relationship.  I think Mel didn’t give any indication that she would be interested in anything with Victoria since the beginning. Maybe it was a threat for Liz, but she was not introduced like that. The same way Rafaela was not introduced as a threat to Mel. So, we have two exes, but they were not there to be between them. What tore them apart was just what was going on in the relationship and not people outside of it.”

Ana: “It’s more mature like that, right?”

Germana: “Yeah, and I think that if they get to the point where they have a mature relationship, they would gladly accept each other’s exes, as a part of their lives. It wouldn’t be a problem.”

RED webseries interview LFF2019: mother-daughter relationship

Me: “I think season five has two strong concepts in it. The mother-daughter relationship, that’s really tough. It’s always in life; it has so many dimensions. How did you prepare for that? How did that come across for you?”

Luciana: “That was really hard because that relationship is so real life. Mel just gets insecure around her mother. In season five, you will see; it gets deeper. You can see the love; it’s not just demanding things and ‘you don’t do this or do this.’ It’s a real relationship. It’s my opinion that Mel really cares about her mother and her opinion, and so she’s always like ‘Oh my God.’ So, it’s very interesting. The mother of Mel will be deeper in season five.”

Watch season five

In my final question, I mention two concepts. I did not want to mention the other one because I do not want to spoil too much for people who have not watched all the episodes yet. You can watch all of RED on Vimeo. Also, you can enjoy these other videos of Love Fan Fest 2019.

Next week, I will publish the second part of the interview. There, we talk about season 4 and 5 in more detail. In the meantime, you can enjoy these other videos and blog posts about Love Fan Fest 2019.

Please consider buying me a virtual coffee. The online tip jar on the right of this page helps me purchase new, much-needed vlogging equipment.

Please subscribe to my YouTube channel! That helps future con trips.

Good Kisser: The New Sexy Lesbian Movie You Didn’t Know You Needed

1 May 2019 / / Comments Off on Good Kisser: The New Sexy Lesbian Movie You Didn’t Know You Needed

Good Kisser: The New Sexy Lesbian Movie You Didn’t Know You Needed

Good Kisser is a new lesbian movie that I have been dying to watch since I discovered it on social media a few months ago. All I knew was the plotline: “Jenna agrees to a sexy weekend fling with materialistic girlfriend Kate and the worldly Mia. As the night unfolds, Jenna realizes she’s bitten off more than she can chew, and the love triangle begins to crack.”

In this blog post, I describe why this movie started to intrigue me a few months ago and how I feel after watching Good Kisser. This way, you know exactly how quickly you should go and watch it. I have also recorded a video if that is more your cup of tea. You can find it below this image (don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel!)

‘Good Kisser: The New Sexy Lesbian Movie You Didn’t Know You Needed’ Good Kisser is a new lesbian movie that I have been dying to watch since I discovered it on social media a few months ago. All I knew was the plotline. In this blog post, I describe why this movie started to intrigue me a few months ago and how I feel after watching it. This way, you know exactly how quickly you should go and watch it: http://bit.ly/GoodKisserMovie

Why the idea of Good Kisser was intriguing to me

The first thing I want to mention is the fact that this movie centers around lesbian sex lives. I find that refreshing because I clearly remember the time when we had to settle for a kiss. Or there would merely be a glance. I do always get scared when productions take this route because so often, sexy f/f scenes are directed for the male gaze. So, will these scenes actually be sexy for us? Given the fact that Wendy Jo Carlton is the writer and director of this movie, I trusted things would be fine sexy.

The second thing that intrigued me is that the feature film, in large part, focuses on three people in a timeframe of one night. To me, that gave the movie a bit of a theatrical vibe, focusing on characters and their development rather than on action. I like diving into characters, so that is what made me even more enthusiastic.

As you can probably tell, I was really excited when I received a screener.

The first thing I liked about Good Kisser: the quality of production

I do not know if it is because this production had a decent amount of funding or because most of it was shot at one location (well, it seems that way; they may have fooled me 😉) but the quality is really good. Sometimes when you watch an indie movie, you can immediately list a few things that could have gone better had the production had more money. The drone shots with which the movie starts, the lighting, everything just seems to be really well done.

The second thing I liked: the cast

I cannot talk about Good Kisser without talking about the cast. If your movie focuses on three people in a timeframe of one night, the cast can make or break the movie. If the actors are not interesting to watch or if there is absolutely no chemistry between them when they have to portray people in love or lust, the movie is doomed.

Fortunately, Kari Alison Hodge, Rachel Paulson, and Julia Eringer were cast as Jenna, Kate, and Mia. When watching, you want to pay close attention to every single actor. Oh, and that chemistry? Don’t worry about it…

The two supporting roles are needed to further the development of the story. Those actors (Courtney McCullough and Carter Rodriquez) obviously contribute to the movie in their own charming ways.

The third thing I liked about Good Kisser: the lines

I think it was within three minutes that my wife and I looked at each other like: “What?!” Within about ten minutes, I must have alternated ‘Jesus’ with ‘oh my god’ and ‘WTF?’ at least twenty times. I guess you could say I was hooked from the beginning. I wish I had been a fly on the wall that first table reading. You will have some feelings about the comments that Kate makes.

The fourth thing I liked: the soundtrack

Another worthy mention is the music in this movie. The songs match the scenes perfectly. I usually don’t need the soundtrack to a movie but this is something I could listen to more often!

The fifth thing I liked about Good Kisser: the sexy scenes

I don’t think you can review this movie without mentioning the sexy scenes. Remember that fear I had of them not being good? Eh, yeah, not necessary. Are they sexy? Yup.

Where can you watch Good Kisser?

Good Kisser, shot in Seattle, will have its world premiere at the Seattle International Film Festival, which runs May 16 – June 9, 2019. Other dates/film festivals will be announced on their website and social media pages, so make sure to follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. Who knows, you might find out when you will be able to purchase the movie yourself.

In a few weeks, I will show you the interview I had with Kari Alison, Rachel, and Julia at ClexaCon. Have you read my first ClexaCon interview? It was with Julia and Shantell Yasmine Abeydeera, who work together in Girls Like Magic.

 

The Date: The New Lesbian Short Film You’d Hate to Miss

26 December 2018 / / Comments Off on The Date: The New Lesbian Short Film You’d Hate to Miss

The Date: The New Lesbian Short Film You’d Hate to Miss

I watched a new lesbian short film called The Date and I can’t wait to share with you how awesome it is and how soon you should watch it. It is the happy modern love story we have been waiting for. I have seen many short films this past year but none of them made me feel as happy as this one did.

‘The Date: The New Lesbian Short Film You’d Hate to Miss’ I watched a new lesbian short film called The Date and I can’t wait to share with you how awesome it is and how soon you should watch it. It is the happy modern love story we have been waiting for. I have seen many short films this past year but none of them made me feel as happy as this one did: http://bit.ly/TheDateLesFilm

Biased

Okay, I am coming out right from the start: I am biased. Writer and director Emma contacted me online to talk about the movie. We had some fun conversations and were able to meet at ClexaCon London. I now call her my friend and naturally, you want your friends to succeed. So, there you go, that is my bias.

However, do you know how sometimes friends ask you to share something and you’re not really a fan but you share it anyway because that person is your friend? Well, that was completely not the case with this film, fortunately! I tweeted about the Indiegogo campaign quite a few times and was happy to see the movie got funded 113%.

The reason I wanted this crowdfunding campaign to succeed is that I was able to receive a sneak peek of some footage and I could immediately tell it was the good stuff. I knew this short was going to be of good quality if they just had the funds. Can you imagine how nervous I was when I was finally able to watch it?!

By the way, it is not just Emma’s work. Hansof Waller was a great help writing the script.

The Date’s promise to you

“The Date is the story of two women looking for love in the dating world of the 21st century.

Lizzy and Olivia might be total opposites when it comes to careers and dress sense BUT they do have one thing in common… They both swiped ‘right’ on each other. After swiping right, the two hit it off almost immediately but there’s still one thing left to do: meet.

In this day and age, where meeting new people happens mostly online, we wanted to write a story about the good relationships that come from online dating.

Our aim is to also have real interviews at the end, with couples who have met on dating apps and are the happiest they’ve ever been.”

The first thing I liked about The Date: the dialogues

The dialogues in this short film are sooooo good. You know how some short films try to be as artistic as possible and make the characters say these really special lines to showcase how intellectual the creators are? That is not the case in The Date.

The Date shows the date you can have. The characters make the jokes you would make. And they have the exact same insecurities as you and me. Is this next date going to be as bad as the previous one? Will she be who she says she is? Will she be a serial killer? Am I going to be stood up?

Nope. This is a happy movie. You know, the one we do not always get.

The second thing I liked about The Date: the chemistry

What can I say about their chemistry? You will feel it. Big time. And you will want them to end up together.

The third thing I liked about The Date: the happy feelings

The Date reminds me of when my wife and I just started dating. We often went clubbing and loved dancing together. So, seeing their first date start with dinner and end with dancing brought back so many good memories.

My wife and I actually watched this movie together. I sometimes looked at her to see what she thought of the movie and she had happiness written all over her face. She even grabbed my hand at one point. That is how this movie will make you feel.

By the way, her review of The Date: “Is this it?! I hate short films. I want to see the rest of the story!” 😉 I think that if you have accomplished that as a short film, you did something right. Over the past year, I have seen some shorts that I wished had been shorter, so…

The fourth thing I liked about The Date: the editing

The editing tells you there is a highly skilled team behind this movie. I do not want to give anything away but the keyword here is delayed gratification. You will get it when you watch it.

The fifth thing I liked about The Date: the credits

So, the credits actually play an important part in this movie. The movie is 9.5 minutes long and the credits are six minutes long.

You will want to stick around for those six minutes because, in these credits, you will watch videos of real couples who met online. They tell you how they met and how happy they are.

How brilliant is it to have actual people from our community participate in the project?! I greatly appreciated it and I loved seeing some familiar faces and names. It really takes a village to make such a project happen!

Where can you watch The Date?

Because the movie had a successful Indiegogo campaign, that page will continue to be open. That means you can still buy the perks that will grant you access to the movie before release. This way, you can support their project AND you will have the movie ASAP. Sounds like a good plan to me!

In addition, their plan is to make a festival run before releasing the movie to the public. That means that if you want to see this movie ASAP, you will have to visit a film festival near you that will show this movie. Consequently, it would be wise to follow the movie on social media to see when and where this will happen. This is their Twitter account and their Instagram page.

Want more tips on what to watch? How about Different for Girls or Anne+? Subscribe to my YouTube channel to hear my tips the moment they are uploaded!

Mandahla Rose Visited the ClexaCon London Press Room

12 December 2018 / / Comments Off on Mandahla Rose Visited the ClexaCon London Press Room

Mandahla Rose Visited the ClexaCon London Press Room

On the final day of ClexaCon London, Mandahla Rose and Nicole Pacent visited the press room together. They are in Passage together, which will come out in 2019. They talked about other projects they have been working on, about queer and non-queer actors playing queer characters, and about mental health. Because the interview was so long, I have divided into two parts. Below, you will find Mandahla’s part and here, you will find Nicole’s part.

You can also find a video of the full interview here.

‘Mandahla Rose Visited the ClexaCon London Press Room’ On the final day of ClexaCon London, Mandahla Rose and Nicole Pacent visted the press room together. They are in Passage together, which will come out in 2019. They talked about other projects they have been working on, about queer and non-queer actors playing queer characters, and about mental health. Because the interview was so long, I have divided into two parts. This is Mandahla’s part: http://bit.ly/MandahlaRoseCCUK

Me: Mandahla Rose, you just said that you still had so much more to say in your panel. What were some of the things you wanted to talk about?

Mandahla Rose: It was about mental health. The question was about how people reach out to you. So, I have been reached out to by a number of people but one person in particular. This is a trigger warning. She heard me speak about my own vulnerable story, how I tried to take my own life, and it ended up saving her life. To me, if this platform is something that I can be on that can just save one life, then I am doing the right job.

Unfortunately, Tessa did pass away. Not by her own hand but it was because she ended up having a heart defect. So, the wonderful thing that I can take from that is that she could have gone from darkness and sadness in her heart. But what I ended up doing by speaking my truth is actually allowing her to go ask for help, let her family and friends know that she needed help.

She actually got that help. She met someone in care and ended up marrying and moving to Paris. And she had this beautiful, just six months of a new life where she has light and love in her heart. Unfortunately, she did leave but she left with that and love in her heart. So, this platform that I find myself on is wonderful for that reason. If just one life, that is life enough.

On your panels, you two did not get the chance to talk much about your upcoming projects. What would you like to say about them now?

Mandahla Rose: Let’s first talk about Passage because we are both in Passage. Do you want to…?

Nicole Pacent: You are a bigger part of Passage so why don’t you talk about it?

Mandahla Rose: I play agent Diana Atwell, a Caelus agent. It is Sci-Fi and it is kind of, I do not want to give it away, I can’t… It is going to be… I am very excited about it. I did spend a day at the graveyard running around, which was a lot of fun, with guns and everything.

My other project is BIFL. I won’t tell you what that stands for. Does it stand for anything? We don’t know. Find out. I play Sarah, they/them/their, ace lesbian. It is a lot about representation. It is an ensemble cast so there are six of us. Each of us has our own stories to tell. So that one was really exciting as well.

Forever Not Maybe

Forever Not Maybe will be coming out next year. It was originally La Douleur Exquise, a web series that ended up… Shot the first episode in December 2015, which was a while ago but that is the actual reason for me moving to LA in the first place. We were actually able to get the funds to turn it into a feature film. So, now called Forever Not Maybe because good luck pronouncing La Douleur Exquise. So, that one will be coming out next year as well.

Crazy Bitches season 2, I play Pandora, a 20-something YouTuber. I am a little baby lesbian in it, who has a bit of a crush on Guinevere Turner’s character. Then, Guinevere and I are in a series called Alice & Iza, which will be coming out soon. It is based on a one-night stand, which is a little bit of fun, on Tello.

Nicole, you have said on a panel that you have feelings about how important it is for openly queer actors to be playing queer characters. Would you mind going into that a little bit more?

[Nicole Pacent discusses this question. Then, Mandahla Rose adds her comment.]

Mandahla Rose: I think there is a fine line because I can see the “straight” world be like “Well, if you think queer actors should be playing queer characters, then straight people should only be playing straight characters.

Nicole Pacent: Yes, it does work opposite.

Mandahla Rose: It does. But in saying that, we are more than our sexuality. I can play a straight person and a queer person. It is still a talent. It is the talent we should be looking at, not the sexuality. But, again, I really love when… I mean, it is really heart-warming when queer actors are playing queer characters because the straight guys get them all the time. The straight people get everything.

Me: I was at the table reading of Passage. To me, the question is: does the Sci-Fi aspect of it bring more difficulties to shooting it?

Nicole Pacent: Well, we are not on the production side of it. It did not make it more difficult for us as actors.

Mandahla Rose: No, I got a plasma gun and I was really happy with that.

Nicole Pacent: Is it going to take more effects and camera tricks for them? Yes. We definitely were party to that, we could see that happening but luckily, I got to get home and be like “Bye!”

Make sure you follow Nicole and Mandahla on social media! Their handles are @NicolePacent and @TwiistedRose on Twitter and Instagram.

PS here are my interviews with Kat Barrell, Natasha, Elise & Annie, Jamie Clayton, the team behind I Can’t Think Straight, the writer and producer of Different for Girls, and the directors of ClexaCon.

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