Video: The Act of Coming Out

In a documentary by Alexandra Stergiou, an audition reveals the range of emotions that accompany the acceptance of one’s sexuality.

In the short hybrid documentary “The Act of Coming Out,” the filmmaker Alexandra Stergiou invites queer and trans actors to interpret what she calls “the never-ending process of coming out.” The film takes the form of a casting tape, and the actors perform the ordinary yet emotionally charged act in ways both devised and improvised, with Stergiou rotating between the roles of director and scene partner. As each actor “auditions,” they invariably draw on their personal experiences, sometimes re-creating their own coming-out stories. The fusion of real life and performance creates an uncanny emotional resonance; the actors’ biographies lend their scenes gravitas. We’re left to parse which tears and trepidations feel genuine, and measure them up against our own. (from article in New Yorker online)

Directed by Alexandra Stergiou

Produced by the New Yorker.

Running time: 11 minutes

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