Originally from Spokane, Washington, Robin (Vaughan Murrae) has just moved to a small town in Alberta with her father Daniel (filmmaker Matthew Rankin). When he arrives in the physical education class, the teenager with the epicene first name sows confusion. Is it a boy or a girl? Rather than joining the boys’ circle or the girls’ circle, Robin sits proudly in her own circle.
While all the students are hostile towards him, Robin develops a strange relationship with Carter (Dominic Lippa), his worst tormentor. Their budding friendship, however, is troubled when they participate in the musical of the flamboyant Mr. Anderson (Trevor Anderson). In fact, the talented Izzy (Lacey Oake), who plays the leading female role, shows herself sensitive to the charms of the two teenagers. Meanwhile, Daniel doesn’t know what to do with the advances of Annie (Shannon Blanchet), Izzy’s mother.
As a young man, Trevor Anderson, a non-binary director using male pronouns, would have preferred not to answer when asked what gender he was. Through the character of Robin, to whom no pronouns are attached throughout the duration of Before I Change My Mind in French version), his first feature film, the native of Red Deer, Alberta, offers himself a fantasy adolescence by revisiting the 1980s with panache.
In fact, nothing has been spared in this modest achievement to revive the golden era of garishly colored clothes, gravity-defying hairstyles, the Rubik’s cube and Max Headroom. The artistic direction obviously had a blast bringing this to life. Mary Magdalene – Video Starhilarious queer parody of Jesus Christ Superstarwritten by Anderson and his co-writer Fish Griwkowski with music by Lyle Bell.
Beyond all these sometimes superfluous extravagances and the numerous references to popular culture, Trevor Anderson sensitively deals with gender identity and sexual orientation without being bothered by labels. He also addresses ordinary racism through Tony (Jhztyn Contado), a class whipping boy of Asian origin.
Although his story does not escape the clichés of adolescent films, the director leads Robin not to explore his own sexuality, but to discover his true values through contact with others. Defending this role with ease, Vaughan Murrae, non-binary, manages to transcend the question of gender by highlighting the humanity of his character.
Director Chandler Levack (I Like Movies) will speak with Trevor Anderson after the screening on Friday, May 24, at 6:30 p.m., at the Parc cinema.
Check the movie schedule
Drama
Before I Change My Mind (VF: Before I change my mind)
Trevor Anderson
Vaughan Murrae, Dominic Lippa, Matthew Rankin
1:29 a.m.
Indoors