Arts & Entertainment
‘Danish Girl’ masterfully realized
Trans-themed biopic is A-lister Oscar bait
Eddie Redmayne in ‘The Danish Girl.’ (photo courtesy Focus Features)
It all starts out in one seemingly ordinary moment.
Prima ballerina Ulla is once again late for a sitting with portraitist Gerda Wegener (Alicia Vikander). Frustrated, Gerda asks her husband, famous landscape artist Einar (Eddie Redmayne), to sit in for their friend since she’s only working on the delicately extended foot. It opens today (Friday, Dec. 11) in the D.C. area.
Einar puts on the stockings, crams his feet into the slippers and holds the dress against himself as Gerda picks up her brushes and starts to paint. Einar slowly begins to caress the fabric as long-suppressed thoughts and emotions begin to emerge. Thus begins a remarkable journey for a devoted couple and a remarkable collaboration for a talented cinematic team.
Based on the largely forgotten true story of transgender pioneer Lili Elbe, one of the first people to undergo gender-reassignment surgery, “The Danish Girl” is an exceptional film. Director Tom Hooper (“The King’s Speech” and “Les Misérables”) coaxes powerful performances out of his top-notch cast and collaborates smoothly with his entire creative team.
The movie, set mainly in Copenhagen and Paris in the 1920 and 1930s, looks splendid. Working seamlessly with cinematographer Danny Cohen and production designer Eve Stewart, Hooper makes the most of place and period, contrasting the rigid lines of Copenhagen (and Einar’s harsh airless landscape paintings), with the color and light of Art Nouveau Paris which supports Gerda’s emergence as an artist and Lili’s emergence as a women.
The script by Lucinda Coxon, based on the novel by David Ebershoff, is supple and sensitive, as eloquent when the actors are silent as when they are speaking. Several key sequences unfold wordlessly. Coxon does a marvelous job balancing contemporary sensitivities about gender with the realities of the time period. With incredible subtlety, she makes it clear that Lili is not gay man in drag or a straight man donning a costume, but a woman becoming her true self.
Redmayne’s performance is even more powerful than his Academy Award-winning portrayal of wheelchair-bound scientist Stephen Hawking, due in part to a stronger script and cast. With the support of movement choreographer Alexandra Reynolds, who also worked with him on “The Theory of Everything,” Redmayne has developed an amazingly detailed physical vocabulary that guides him from the rigid mask of masculinity that constricts Einar to the freer expression of femininity that allows Lili to flourish. Redmayne also displays an emotional vulnerability and transparency that makes Lili’s journey incredibly compelling.
Vikander’s performance as Gerda is equally stunning and multi-faceted. As the movie opens, Gerda is deeply in love with Einar, but is also somewhat jealous of his success. He has found artistic satisfaction and popular acclaim with his detailed landscapes; she is frustrated with her attempts at conventional portraiture. When she convinces Einar to pose for her dressed as a woman, it starts as a game, but it quickly turns more serious. She finds a life-long muse, but ultimately loses a husband. With her cigarette holder clenched tight, sometimes in concentration, sometimes in frustration, sometimes in flirtation, Vikander (“Ex Machina”) brings a fascinating character to incandescent light.
The supporting cast is also excellent. Amber Heard (“Magic Mike XXL”) is a delightful find in the surprisingly pivotal of Ulla. The hard-working but fun-loving ballerina serves as a godmother of sorts to the emergent Lili. Her character helps to establish the strong bond between Einar and Gerda, but she is also the first to recognize Lili in public and recommends the clinic where Lili can finally find supportive care. Heard’s light-hearted performance brings a welcome humor and humanity to the proceedings.
Matthias Schoenaerts (“Far From the Madding Crowd”) is sleek and dapper as Parisian art dealer Hans Axgil, a childhood friend of Einar’s who helps Lili and Gerda through their transitions. Out actor Ben Whishaw (“Spectre,” “Suffragette,” “In the Heart of the Sea”) is engaging as a gay bohemian who initially misunderstands Lili’s intentions, but then becomes a supportive friend and guide. Adrian Schiller is charming as the windy but well-connected art dealer Rasmussen and Sebastian Koch is warm and wise as the doctor who finally comes to Lili’s rescue.
“The Danish Girl” may well be the finest LGBT release of 2015, although the year it is not over yet. It is definitely already in contention for well-deserved recognition in the 2016 awards races. Director Tom Hooper and a talented cast and crew have cast a powerful light on a little-known piece of LGBT history, and their moving and beautiful movie makes us reflect on how we are still learning about the mysteries of the human spirit.
Friday, April 17
Center Aging Monthly Luncheon With Yoga will be at 12 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. Email Mac at [email protected] if you require ASL interpreter assistance, have any dietary restrictions, or questions about this event.
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Social in the City” at 7 p.m. at Hotel Zena. This is a chance to relax, make new friends, and enjoy happy hour specials at this classic retro venue. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Trans and Genderqueer Game Night will be at 7:00p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This is a relaxing, laid-back evening of games and fun. All are welcome and there’ll be card and board games on hand. Feel free to bring your own games to share. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
Saturday, April 18
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
The DC Center for the LGBT Community will host “Sunday Supper on Saturday” at 2 p.m. It’s more than just an event; it’s an opportunity to step away from the busyness of life and invest in something meaningful, and enjoy delicious food, genuine laughter, and conversations that spark connection and inspiration. For more details, visit the Center’s website.
Sunday, April 19
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Lunch” at 11 a.m. at Federico Ristorante Italiano. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Monday, April 20
“Center Aging: Monday Coffee Klatch” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more information, contact Adam ([email protected]).
Tuesday, April 21
Center Bi+ Roundtable will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is an opportunity for people to gather in order to discuss issues related to bisexuality or as Bi individuals in a private setting.Visit Facebook or Meetup for more information.
Senior Self Defense Class with Avi Rome will be at 12:30 p.m. This inclusive and beginner-friendly class, led by Instructor Avi Rome, offers a light warm-up, stretching, and instruction in basic techniques, patterns, and striking padded targets. Each session is designed to be adaptable for all ability and mobility levels, creating a welcoming space for everyone to build strength, confidence, and community through martial arts. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
Wednesday, April 22
Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom upon request. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.
Asexual and Aromantic Group will meet at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a space where people who are questioning this aspect of their identity or those who identify as asexual and/or aromantic can come together, share stories and experiences, and discuss various topics. For more details, email [email protected].
Thursday, April 23
The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5:00 pm if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245.
Virtual Yoga Class will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This free weekly class is a combination of yoga, breath work and meditation that allows LGBTQ+ community members to continue their healing journey with somatic and mindfulness practices. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
Out & About
Team DC’s annual gala set for this weekend
LGBTQ sports organization to hold annual ‘Night of Champions’
Team DC will host “Night of Champions Gala” on Saturday, April 18 at 6 p.m. at the Georgetown Marriott.
This will be an evening of celebration and inspiration as Team DC honors remarkable individuals and supports the next generation of LGBTQ student-athletes.
There will be opportunities to support Team DC through auctions. The Silent Auction items will offer an array of unique goods and experiences. Additionally, Team DC will feature an exclusive selection of live auction items for those looking to make a significant impact.
This year, Team DC will recognize six outstanding awardees who have made significant contributions to the LGBTQ community and sports:
- Trailblazer Award – Adam Peck, District Wrestling
- Most Valuable Person Award – Sean Bartel (posthumously)
- Champion Award – Dan Martin
- Clark Ray Horizon Award – Manuel Montelongo, aka Mari Con Carne
- Bernard Jude Delia Award – Dr. Sara Varghai
- Platinum All Star Award – Centaur Motorcycle Club
To purchase tickets, visit Team DC’s website.
Television
‘The Pitt’ stars discuss what season two gets right about queer representation
Noah Wyle and Taylor Dearden spoke with Blade in LA
As season two of “The Pitt” comes to a close this Thursday, stars Noah Wyle and Taylor Dearden are looking back on what this season got right about queer representation.
“There is some intentionality behind it, but it’s not necessarily for the representation to be anything other than human or ubiquitous to anyone that would come into an emergency room,” Noah Wyle, who plays Dr. Robby, told the Los Angeles Blade at PaleyFest event in Los Angeles on April 12. “I know that we’ve done some storylines with some gay couples, and we did a storyline in season 1 where a woman comes in who’s cut her arm, who’s trans. But in both of those storylines, that wasn’t the point.”
Wyle continues, “In doing it that way, and not making a point of orientation being part of the problem that brings you to the emergency room, we have been told in feedback that that has been extremely revolutionary, almost, and extremely appreciated. But that’s true whether we do storylines with any kind of minority or a person with a disability. We try to have a cosmology of cast and representation on the show that’s indicative of what you find in Pittsburgh.”
Dearden, who plays Dr. Mel King, echoed Wyle’s sentiment: “I think constantly battling tropes is always important. It’s not a show about romance; it’s a show about real life and a shift in the ER. The more we represent everyday people going through everyday life, they just happen to be queer, they just happen to be trans, and making it not the plot, is putting everyone on equal playing [field]. You don’t have to have a big coming out scene.”
Queer representation on “The Pitt” is also notable through the actual actors themselves, including openly queer actor Supriya Ganesh, who plays Dr. Samira Mohan (who didn’t attend PaleyFest after the news that she is not returning for season three), and Amielynn Abellera, who plays Perlah Alawi.
“Doctors don’t put value judgments on who they treat,” Wyle concludes. “That’s not a luxury extended to them, and so that’s not part of our storytelling.”
The season two finale will air Thursday, April 16, on HBO Max, while season three has already been confirmed and is currently being written.
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