Overview
Gillian Anderson has had a long and varied career, but her turn as reclusive actor Billy Presley in Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma is a standout. The film, directed by I Saw The TV Glow’s Jane Schoenbrun, is an exploration of how the original slasher genre codified transness as evil, and what it’s like to experience sex after transitioning. Anderson’s character, Presley, was the original final girl in the Camp Miasma slasher series. When budding director Kris, played by Hannah Einbinder, visits to convince Presley to star in her reboot, the pair fall into a sexual relationship that’s unlike most mainstream offerings.
Just like in I Saw The TV Glow, Schoenbrun uses fantasy, cinematography and visual metaphors to tell their story. While some parts are said out loud, others are left for viewers to discover. Anderson’s affection for the director is genuine, and she tells Refinery29 it’s important to have more queer representation in Hollywood.
“I don’t feel like there’s many queer filmmakers who have been given the opportunity and the financing to be able to fulfil their dreams… it’s important that they exist and are represented out there in the wider world,” the actor says. “Hopefully, this is the beginning of an influx of acceptance that those voices need to be seen and heard, and financed as readily as other films.”
For a film like this to work, the chemistry has to hit. Anderson and Einbinder carry the majority of the film, often with drawn-out dialogue that feels like a play. The actor has the utmost respect for her co-star, and although the film is far from a show like Hacks, Einbinder’s comic timing was appreciated. “She’s a really smart cookie, and that adds an intelligence to her acting techniques in a way as well,” Anderson says of her co-star. “She takes a handful of notes really well and knows how to assimilate them, and work on so many levels, and so it was fascinating to watch.”
Hopefully, this is the beginning of an influx of acceptance that [queer] voices need to be seen and heard, and financed as readily as other films.
As a scene partner, Anderson says Einbinder was always present and had an ability to riff. “She’s obviously very funny being a stand-up comedian, so there’s that element too in terms of [improvising] and being able to add things on the fly,” she says. “It was a joy.”
Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma is less about questioning your identity, but more about what comes after you’ve defined it. As Kris and Billy explore each other in more sexual ways, Kris is learning how to feel comfortable in her body. “Jane was very vocal about the fact that they’d never directed a sex scene before, so it felt like there was a lot of… inbuilt awkwardness, because of Jane’s experience,” Anderson recalls. “It was both freeing and scary [to film]. In my short and long experience with those kinds of scenes, they are never not scary. They’re never not comfortable… but we had a fantastic intimacy coordinator.”
Details
Anderson is quick to say the sex scenes have a bigger purpose. “It’s such an important part of the bigger story. It’s not just about sex, you know,” the actor says. “Those were really important scenes.”
Schoenbrun uses intimacy to explore themes of shame, fear, and courage throughout Camp Miasma. And while the awkwardness can make it tough to watch at points, it’s a film that will stick with the viewer for a long time after the credits roll.
Want more? Sign up for our newsletter to get the best of Refinery29 Entertainment straight to your inbox.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
These LGBTQ+ Films Are Worth Celebrating
Hayley Kiyoko On Girls Like Girls & Sapphic Love
These Photos Celebrate Queer Love In The South
Source
Originally published at www.refinery29.com.