Heaps Gay presents Tangerine at the Golden Age Cinema

By Isabella Cornell

Tangerine is more than “that indie film shot on an iPhone”, it’s a earnest and real exploration of friendship and betrayal that will delight, dazzle and mystify you. One of the most talked about films at Sundance, the Sydney Film Festival and Melbourne Film Festival, the slyly funny Tangerine is set on Christmas Eve, but it’s no average Christmas film, instead it goes much deeper than that. The film follows two transgender sex workers Sin-Dee and Alexandra (played by first time actors Kitana Kiki Rodriguez and Mya Talor) as they spend the night in LA. chasing the origins of a nasty rumour about Sin-Dee’s pimp-cum-boyfriend. Along the way we meet their tricks, friends, and hoes, while learning about Sin-Dee and Alexandra’s deep friendship.

A pinnacle in queer cinema, not only does Tangerine feature queer actors (the film has garnered much critical acclaim for its use of trans actors in trans roles), it’s also queer in its irreverent approach to style, form and storytelling. Filmed on an iPhone 5S, it presents an alternative to the dominant Hollywood model of filmmaking. With zippy and unforgettable dialogue that moves as fast as Sin-Dee and Alexandra’s shoes can pound the LA pavement, the final scene in the donut shop (shot while the actual donut shop was still open to regular customers) brings this incredible indie hit home in an unforgettable way.

Screening Wednesday 14 December at the Golden Age Cinema – Buy your tickets here!

Year: 2015
Rating: MA15+
Director: Sean Baker
Cast: Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Mya Taylor, James Ransone
Duration: 88 minutes
Language: English