Port Authority (Martin Scorsese Produced Trans Drama)

[Member-275053]

Cannes: Leyna Bloom Makes History as First Transgender Lead Actress of Color at Festival

Leyna Bloom is about to shatter an important glass ceiling.

On Saturday, she will become the first transgender woman of color to star in a movie that premieres at the Cannes Film Festival. In “Port Authority,” directed by Danielle Lessovitz, Bloom plays a trans woman from New York’s kiki ballroom scene who falls in love with a lost drifter (Fionn Whitehead).

“This is the moment that I’ve dreamed about,” says Bloom, a first-time actress and model who lives in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. “This moment is a door that has been opened for a lot of people to sit at the table. How do you see something like this? It’s never happened. I just want to take it all in and know that there’s still work to be done.”

In its 72-year-history, the Cannes Film Festival has been a prestigious — but stodgy — club that has elevated mostly male story tellers. In 2018, in a public ceremony on the steps of the Palais, organizers signed a 50/50×2020 pledge, designed to create more gender parity at the festival.

But when it comes to discussions about representation, the trans community has even less visibility onscreen or behind the camera. A recent study by GLAAD found that there were no major transgender characters in U.S. studio movies in 2017. TV is only doing marginally better.

“Port Authority,” which is screening in Un Certain Regard, is set in a world that’s similar to FX’s groundbreaking drama series “Pose.” And Bloom, who is half-black and Filipino, sees many facets of her own life in her character.

“I got into the ballroom scene when I was 15 years old,” Bloom says. “I was just a young feminine boy moving around in Chicago. I was raised in the ballroom community; it was my first runway.” Two years later, Bloom moved to New York and started modeling.

“I wasn’t out of the closet at the time,” she says. “It was a point in the fashion industry where no one was accepting a trans woman of color at their agencies.” But she made her own way. In 2017, she graced the cover of Vogue India, as the first transgender woman to do so.

When Bloom auditioned for “Port Authority,” she beat out more than 1,000 other actresses for her role. “I had to be my first manager,” she says. “I had to be my first PR. I had to be my stylist. I had to do that all on my own. And I’m still not signed to an acting agency or to a modeling agency. I just have people that believe in me and want me to succeed.”

She hopes to continue acting after her Cannes debut. “I know my path,” Bloom says. “I can only walk my path. I just want to say who I am.”

- Variety

[Poya]

Can’t wait for all the dudebros to cry out their hero Scorsese has become a “social justice warrior”.

[CelluloidPal]

Originally Posted by Poya

Can’t wait for all the dudebros to cry out their hero Scorsese has become a “social justice warrior”.

Let's not start this. Really, let's not go there.

[Creed]

Hmm, this sounds intriguing.

[Himmel]

Def looking forward to this.

[CelluloidPal]

Originally Posted by Creed

Hmm, this sounds intriguing.

Sounds more like your regular love story than anything else.

[Creed]

Originally Posted by CelluloidPal

Sounds more like your regular love story than anything else.

I'm sure the talent will elevate the material. Fionn Whitehead was great in Dunkirk.

[Himmel]

Originally Posted by Creed

I'm sure the talent will elevate the material. Fionn Whitehead was great in Dunkirk.

Agreed.

[Member-275053]

Speaking of Scorsese...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSyXsZNar0E

Very reminiscent of FX's Pose.

[prkchopexpress]

I miss the days of past when what they would be exploiting would be something relevant to the story or the film or themes....

not this "we're so important. we're making history. we're not making a good movie... why make a good movie when you can pretend ITS IMPORTANT?"

would you have even heard of this movie otherwise? nope.

[Member-275053]

Originally Posted by prkchopexpress

I miss the days of past when what they would be exploiting would be something relevant to the story or the film or themes....

not this "we're so important. we're making history. we're not making a good movie... why make a good movie when you can pretend ITS IMPORTANT?"

would you have even heard of this movie otherwise? nope.

Oh, yes! How I miss the days of yore when ALL movies were about cisgender relationships.

And, her being a transgender woman of color has everything to do with the plot and is VERY IMPORTANT to those in the community. Go troll somewhere else please.

[prkchopexpress]

Originally Posted by JWFORD

Oh, yes! How I miss the days of yore when ALL movies were about cisgender relationships. .

you have a moonlight avatar. please tell me more about how every movie is about straight relationships.

I must have just dreamed moonlight and the duke of burgundy.

yeah, I mentioned two movies. but I'm going to go out on a limb and say that isn't the complete list of movies with gay relationships. or non traditional.

[postmodel]

Well, time to actually comment on the film and not people’s, um, “issues” with it...

After watching the trailer I am really looking forward to this. It is great to see a trans lead being played by a trans actress, but beyond that, the cinematography, the setting, and all of the performances look great. I’m a sucker for a sad romance and this is looking to check all those boxes.

Scorsese’s name doesn’t matter to me with this one. I’m already going to check it out.

[Member-275053]

In Select Theaters May 28 and On Demand June 1!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dk7EvEjZ-Mw

[50strat54]

Oscar's Best Picture of 2022!