Blue Jean
Welcome to Breakout, the MASSIVE scheme sending 12 first-time writers to London Film Festival to write their debut professional film reviews. For the 12 days following the 12 days of the festival, we’ll be publishing the writing of our chosen stars to celebrate cinema at its finest and introduce you to the next generation’s most promising new critics.
Next up, London’s Katerina Kamysheva reviews Blue Jean.
It's 1988. Puffed hair-dos, new wave music and fluorescent colours come to mind. However, behind this electric backdrop, Georgia Oakley’s debut feature Blue Jean explores an honest depiction of the suppressed reality for LQBTQ+ members under Thatcherite Britain. This visually striking film, shot on 16mm, entangles the audience to an intimate perspective of Jean (Rosy McEwen), a closeted PE teacher fighting an internal battle with her identity, meanwhile facing the introduction of the oppressive Section 28 ruling. The arrival of a new student could wreck Jean’s reputation.
Blue Jean could soon become a queer classic within British cinema. Witty dialogue sits alongside wondrous, vibrant sequences with New Order’s ‘Blue Monday’ echoing along.
Victor Seguin’s claustrophobic cinematography, accompanied by Chris Roe’s eerie, string-led score, traps you alongside Jean leading her double life, riding through an anxiety-induced state.
The heart of the film lies with McEwen’s exceptional performance. Rather than relying on heavy dialogue, McEwen delivers subtle yet tense non-verbal communication, captivating as she speaks through her eyes.
Everyone can empathise with Oakley’s protagonist. The relatability of putting on a mask in certain spaces; the fear of exposing one's true identity against societal norms. Blue Jean is timeless. Although set in the ‘80s, Oakley leaves us to question whether we've become inured to current standards, as the past has inevitably influenced present-day politics, with Section 28 only being wiped out as recently as 2003. Blue Jean is an unapologetic film for queer people to be heard, and to amplify the message that there is a place for everyone in this world.
Katerina Kamysheva is a second year film studies student at King’s College London. She has a strong passion for cinema, and to quote Bowie, “I don't know where I'm going from here, but I promise it won't be boring.” Katerina is also a mother of one Scottish cat.
Blue Jean will be released in UK cinemas in 2023. Check back here for more Breakout reviews.