Mia: A short feature film on self-liberation

• Main Authors: Morales, Venise Kirsten S., Tan, Selene Julianne C., Velasco, Chiara Marie S.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2018
• Subjects: Sexual minorities in motion pictures; Short films > Philippines; Short films > Production and direction > Philippines; Communication
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/8835
• Institution: De La Salle University

A member of the group who identifies as a lesbian wrote a screenplay for her writing for film class inspired by a film she watched in her mass communication theories class. The film was Francois Ozon's short film in 1996 about a gay relationship titled, A summer dress. Francois discourse on gender and sexuality in A summer dress inspired one of the members to write a screenplay that tackles similar issues in the Philippine local setting. Instead of a gay relationship, the story chose to focus on the life of a cisgender adolescent boy who secretly identifies as a gender fluid person named, Mia. He makes a series of discoveries along the course of the story which ultimately leads him, to self-discovery that liberates him. Originally written as a 5-page screenplay, the story was further developed by the writer along with other group members to turn the story into a 20-minute feature film. The final story will revolve around three main characters from the original script and will retain the same main central character. The film will show a simple yet striking ending that hopes to make its audience understand the nature and intricacies of gender and sexuality, the importance of liberation from society's labels and expectations, and how these queer characters in media are not limited to their gender and sexuality. Media depicts various real life representations and serves as a platform for information dissemination to its audience. As students taking up communication arts and allies of the queer community, it is important to learn how ideas, particularly identities, are being represented in various forms of media. The group wishes to go beyond the categorical definitions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT). By having different characters of different personalities, the group aims to explore and properly represent the complexities and fluidity or ambiguity of gender and sexuality in individuals-- with female sexuality as subtopic-- through a 20-minute coming-of-age feature about a young boy whose external discoveries will pave a path for an exploration of his identity and sexuality. It also tells about how gender and sexuality is understood and lived by him and other characters in the story.