a film by Dee Rees

Dee Rees has been named one of the top 25 new faces of independent film for her 2007 film short “Pariah”. It was one of the 45 chosen to show at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival.

When forced to choose between the fragile cohesion of her middle-class family and the imperative loyalty due her best friend, a Bronx teenager juggles conflicting identities and risks friendship, heartbreak, and family in a desperate search for sexual expression.

Set against the kinetic and incongruous social landscape of middle class New York City, the protagonist, Alike (pronounced “A-LEE-KAY”), masquerades as a proud and sexually active “stud” with her openly gay friend Laura; as a self-assured and aloof artist amongst her indifferent classmates; and as the ultra-femme and obedient girl that her strict Catholic parents expect her to be.

Alternating between the conservative religious ethos of the South Bronx and the “glam” night subculture of the New York City “Piers,” PARIAH presents a truthful cross section of the social landscape of middle and working class families and is reminiscent of the documentary PARIS IS BURNING in that it introduces audiences to a world and characters they’ve never seen before.–Feature Film

I’ve heard this film described as “seductively sad and ridiculously honest”, “powerful…strong, believable, sexy”, and “emotionally wrenching”. For the last few days I’ve been spending time here and there trying to find out where I can view this 30min short. I got happy when I found Netflix was offering it, however that is no more apparently. I’ve only found it available for rent/purchase to colleges/universities for now. The good news is that Dee Rees is working on making it a feature film scheduled to start shooting this summer (via afterellen).

www.pariahthemovie.com

Link: A Really Great Review

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