The Power of Queer Films

It’s exactly two weeks until Election Day (and close to 30 million people have ALREADY voted), and ouuuuf are we feeling it. We see all of you—the phone banking, the voter protection, the organizing, the hard conversations. I think it’s safe to say that many of us have a one-track mind right now on races up and down the ballot. The stakes are incredibly high, and if it wasn’t clear already, we urge you, beg you, call on you to vote for progressive candidates up and down the ballot (if you still need to make a plan check out iwillvote.com). 

And while elections are a critical part of reshaping the contours of our society, our conversation with director Natalie Shirinian (founder of NES FILMS) reminds us that the work of art and culture is also crucial towards building the futures we want for ourselves and our society. Culture and policy work can go hand in hand. Art and culture have the ability to influence policy, push boundaries, and reveal ourselves to ourselves—redefining what’s possible. Shirinian is doing just that with her upcoming film Parev Mama, inspired by her own life, exploring the story of a 30 year-old queer Armenian American woman facing the repercussions of coming out to her mother after a night with her girlfriend. She wants to see more diverse stories, Armenian stories, queer stories, female-driven, women-led stories.

As we make our way through these last few weeks before the election, we’re sitting with the recognition that we have our work cut out for us on many fronts—electoral politics, the Supreme Court, organizing, and yes—storytelling. 

*Lightly edited for length and clarity.

FOLLOWING THE NARRATIVE THREAD OF A LIFE

As an only child growing up, storytelling has been a continuous thread in my life. My mother was the youngest of eight children and the journey her family took to get to America from Armenia was something I heard about since I was little. I was always envisioning how I could tell her story one day, or Armenian stories in general. Only children tend to have vivid imaginations and live in their own thoughts and world, this is very true for me. I’ve always been like this. 

INVESTIGATING THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE THROUGH FILM

I think most films are built on the human experience, or the writer/director is empathetic and understands and feels what the character in the film is going through and how the audience will connect or understand. Whether it be the quest for love, diversity, perseverance, grief, or justice, as human beings the power of film gives us an opportunity to connect and relate with one another. It even gives us that sense of someone out there that understands us. A visual story is very powerful, can live on in our psyche, have a great impact, and motivate us.

THE STORIES THAT STAY WITH US

I love stories that have great influence on society, a story that can alter the way cinema is done. David Lynch is really great at doing this. The elements of surrealism and postmodernism he uses are incredible. To offer a story that makes you feel something or think about for days after, that’s something I definitely look for. I want a story to stay with me. I want to think about it. I want to feel it long after the end credits. Lately, I have also been looking for good lesbian cinema, it’s finally starting to pick up where you at least see one to two a year released, like Portrait of a Lady on Fire, and Disobedience—I loved both, and I hope there are many more of these types of films that come out. 

FINDING INSPIRATION ON THE LOT

I always was in awe of Lucille Ball growing up, from being one of the first women to own a studio, to her incredible comedic timing. However, there was a moment in time that was the impetus to pursuing film.  I think I was about 8 years old when my aunt took me to Universal Studios for the first time. We went on a bunch of rides, but where I spent my time the longest was a location in the park where you put in change and use the tower opticals that overlooked the studio lot. I spent so much time there fantasizing that one day I too would have a bungalow on that lot and be able to tell the stories I want to tell. It was a feeling, that I knew one day I would pursue this line of work. 

PAREV MAMA

The short film was brought upon by a true story of mine. I hid my sexuality from my entire family for a very long time, in fear of not being accepted or the fear I might lose them. It was not until I was in my 30s when I fully opened up to them and really accepted myself and opened up to whatever the consequences might be by telling them. Needless to say, many years later it was the impetus to tell the story about how many LGBTQ+ Armenians are hiding their true selves from their families, in fear they will be rejected whether it be because we are one of the oldest Christian nations, or what others in the community might think. 

Producing something so near and dear to my heart felt overwhelming in the best way, because I knew I had to tell this story for not only my people, but many LGBTQ+ people that have hid their true selves for many years. Coming out is not always a happy ending, and sometimes it is, but being honest and true to yourself is incredibly important and the most meaningful thing you can do. 

I felt so fulfilled and incredibly strong and happy to have made the film, especially acting in it, the tears were real in some of the scenes, and I knew from that moment on I wanted to put out stories that are incredibly important to me and connect with an audience—even if it’s just one person—I have to make it. I have to visualize our experiences and make them real. 

ON THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES OF DOCUMENTARIES AND NARRATIVE FILMS

A documentary is actually much harder in my opinion and takes many years to complete and has so many different subjects involved. The editing process is also challenging, because you are piecing these facts together that you not only want to be engaging, but you want the film to tell the story you want to tell. Versus a story that is so personal and might pour out of you. Everyone is different. But my team made it so seamless. You really have to trust your team and they have to trust you and really be invested in not only you being the director, but the story they are signing up for. On Parev Mama, we were such an intimate group that the team all became emotionally involved and asked the right questions—it was beautiful. From my DP who was also my editor, to my producers, to my wife who was my co-star, and executive producer, it was really a level of trust and talent that I was lucky to have.

MAKING IT WORK

The first draft of my script was written pre-Covid and involved a multitude of actors and locations. When the pandemic hit, I rewrote the script many times for it to fit within the constraints of Covid making sure it could be done safely without sacrificing the story at all. We had only three actors, including myself and my wife, a crew of 5, and that was it. I had everyone tested 24 hours before, and quarantined to be extra  safe. And instead of multiple locations, we used three environments at our house. It was all done in one day. I couldn’t believe it, a one day shoot. At the end, the story had so much more meaning and quality, and not one inch was sacrificed—the final draft was actually more rich.

AT THE INTERSECTION OF ARMENIAN CULTURE AND THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY

As a minority, full acceptance of your people is so important. Armenians come from a culture of genocide, divide and diaspora. We have been separated but we are stronger today for it. What’s difficult now however, is that there are still many families that turn away members of the LGBTQ+ community, and what I want to do is show that we are all the same, we are cut from the same cloth, and denial of someone because of their sexuality is a denial of yourself.  We have to be fully accepting of our brothers and sisters.

DIVERSE QUEER NARRATIVES AS POWERFUL ENGINES OF PERSPECTIVE AND MEANING-MAKING

I  think LGBTQ+ stories are very rarely told in the Armenian community. As a gay Armenian myself, I can attest to this…the majority of Armenian films that come out have to do with the genocide. Look at The Promise, Ararat by Atom Egoyan...these stories need to be told of course because the genocide is still not recognized…however when it comes to LGBTQ+ stories, it’s not as common, especially coming from Armenian American filmmakers and I want to include that in our very important narrative. 

MORE OF THESE PLEASE

Diverse stories, Armenian stories, queer stories, female driven, women led stories.
Definitely personal stories, stories that inspire me that I need and want to tell. I also want to be a voice for the underrepresented and unrecognized.  

For the queer community and beyond. 

LESSONS FROM 2020

Covid has been interesting to say the least, it really helped me assess what is important in life and what is excess and what I would like to eliminate from my life. With the queer community specifically, I really want to push forward and help queer Armenians as much as I can. My people are going through a very difficult time right now with the Azerbaijan/ Armenia conflict at the risk of another genocide. I want to put out as many Armenian stories as possible. In the US, the LGBTQ+ community is threatened to have their rights taken away, the political climate is dwindling, and it’s up to us the diverse, the minorities, to be strong and to vote. 

MUST-READS ON HER BOOKSHELF

A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle
Seat of the Soul by Gary Zukav 
The Instruction by Ainslie Macleod
The Secret Life of Cows by Rosamund Young
Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers by Robert Sapolsky

Interested In Learning More?

Learn more about NES FILMS

Watch the 'Parev Mama' Trailer

Follow Natalie Shirinian on Instagram