Bradley is a gender non-binary person looking for their place in the world. Can a quasi-religious, cross-dressing protest group help Bradley to find it?

Interview with Editor/Director Ling Lee

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

I became interested in the Order of Perpetual Indulgence after hearing about them through a friend. It was only when I met them that I realised how much of a variety of gender and sexual identities exist within the group. I had not met a gender non-binary person before and so I was particularly curious about them. I felt especially drawn to finding out about Brad’s individual journey which is why they became the focus of the project. I felt it was important to make a film that would contribute positively to the conversations and debates about gender that are often in the media at present.

The Black Veil is an intimate and personal observational documentary that uses creative and expressive scenes to convey Brad’s journey. With this film I would like to invite people to explore different gender possibilities and to recognise that there are people out there who do not identify with the binary form. I would like people to see that there are groups out there offering support to individuals who are questioning their own gender identity.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

Anyone who is curious about diversity would watch the film, in particular people who are interested in gender diversity. This film also speaks to people who are exploring their own gender and who want to be inspired by other people's journeys.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

The COVID-19 pandemic made filming difficult. The actual idea and main thread never changed but we ended up shooting less observational scenes than planned. Thankfully, the archive material (some of it generously given by the original Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence in San Francisco) provided us with another type of material that added an extra layer of depth to the story. The main story of the wedding had to slightly change as weddings couldn't happen during the pandemic. The ending was the main part that changed but overall it didn't change the core message of the film.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

People loved the abstract shots and colours. Also, finding out about The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence was an eye-opener for a lot, they just loved the joy and the activist work. People also were really moved by the scene with the aunt and many asked me how I managed to film such intimate conversations. I haven't received tons of feedback due to the film being mainly screened online, but all the feedback I have had has been positive.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

It's been interesting to see the different reactions from different groups. For people who are very open minded and/or have been surrounded by the LGBTQ+ community, the film isn't such an eye-opener but for other people it's really helpful and they start looking around them more to see if their colleagues could be gender non-binary, or they have a lot of questions. This reaction made me think that this film is more aimed at people who have yet to learn that gender diversity exists.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

I'm hoping that the film will be picked up by more festivals and distributors so that more people around the world can see it. I would like to show Brad's story and encourage a postive conversation about gender non-binary people and gender diversity in general. It's important to me to counterbalance the misleading and polemic discussions and to have positive and proactive conversations amongst all of us.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

Distributors, film festival directors, journalists, buyers.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

As I mentioned above, it would be great to create workshops and open conversations that discuss gender diversity. It is important to be inclusive of people who don't know anything about this world and I would like them to be able to voice their questions without being intimidated.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

Do you think gender can only be binary?

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

I'm currently working on a creative documentary about the complexities of ethical translation for survivors of gender based violence. This film will be focused on people whose first language isn't English. You can find out more if you follow me on Twitter and Instagram.

Interview: July 2022

We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela

The Black Veil

Length:

28.35

Director

LING LEE is an award-winning director and editor whose work focuses on human stories and crossover cultures. As a self-shooter she approaches the subjects in intimate ways and prefers to tell her stories observationally.

After gaining an MA in Documentary Directing at the NFTS she made documentaries in the UK and abroad. LING’s work has been broadcast on Al Jazeera, BBC Scotland, Channel 4, ARTE/ZDF, VPRO, and screened at international film festivals.

Producer

NOE MENDELLE started her film career with Steel Bank Films (1982), a Channel 4 film workshop based in Sheffield. She is an experienced director, producer & exec producer on the international scene, having worked on numerous award-winning documentaries for festival and broadcast.
In 2003, she set up Scottish Documentary Institute based in Edinburgh and runs several schemes to develop creative documentary in Scotland. She acts as executive producer on SDI award-winning features.

Key cast:

Brad, Emma, Brother Bimbo

Looking for:

distributors, film festival directors, buyers

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/lingleefilms

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/theblackveilfilm

Instagram:

http://instagram.com/theblackveilfilm

Hashtags used:

#theblackveil