Filmmaker Statement

As a filmmaker, I’m drawn to flawed characters whose good intentions may be thwarted by their own baggage. As a queer person, I’m frustrated by the lack of queer characters embodying this level of complexity on screen. I long to see queer characters disagree, make mistakes, learn from one another and exist in solidarity in all its complex forms. The nuances of these bonds are at the heart of Adore, a film which subverts the conventional coming out narrative by centring the intergenerational conflict between two queer characters, interrogating the way unresolved traumas can lead us to hurt the ones we seek to protect. Many of our protagonist’s choices are problematic. We're not asked to agree with her, but we are invited to reflect on how those dynamics play out in our own lives and, in the end, to consider that the world really can be a kinder place than we expect. This story comes from a personal effort to reflect on the ways I've shut out people who were often more ready to accept myself than I was. This theme was bolstered by creative producer Sofia Bant, whose experience growing up across several countries as a person of both Peruvian and Dutch heritage informed our depiction of personal and cultural identity as contradictory and ever-changing. Across disparate experiences, our diverse team of Latine, LGBTQ2SIA+ and allied filmmakers saw themselves reflected in our characters’ genuine, passionate attempts to be true to themselves and the people they love. We know audiences will too. -Beth Warrian