by Nadine Whitney
We spoke with Joseph about their film and how it is informed by their own experiences growing up queer in Canada.
Soft was originally titled Pussy. It seems that some countries have trouble with the title, yet the theme of the “pussy” remains strong in the film. Can you tell us a little about what the title meant as a metaphor in the film and how you think changing it may impact how some people view the film?
“The word ‘pussy’ has so many layered meanings in the film, with the kids using the word in a derogatory way to note weakness through feminine behaviour. This is a learned language that they are unaware is meant to devalue people like them. The kids have heard that word – as I did growing up – consistently used against them. When we see the kids engaging in moments of freedom and expression, the word is chanted through the score’s usage of Ballroom ‘Bitch Tracks’ fuelling those sequences, which is the antithesis of the word’s derogatory usage. In the Ballroom scene, the word pussy is reclaimed as powerful and opulent, an ownership of feminine power in unlikely bodies. The title needed to change primarily because of the American market. I understand that I need to make compromises sometime in order for the work to be seen, and ultimately the word pussy, and the message attached to the word within the film is still very much present.”
Soft features many characters who live on the periphery of society. Dawn is a trans sex worker who feels more comfortable doing that work than having a job where she will have her gender questioned and mocked. How important was it to you to show how deserving of love and respect she is?
“Dawn is a strong woman, who has endured a lot throughout her life. She is kind and giving to Julien when many others turned a blind eye. This pattern of trans women protecting and guiding the queer community is not new and showcasing how a woman who is valued in the shadows almost exclusively through sex work is able to provide when others are unwilling, to showcase how the judgement in our society is antiquated and often inaccurate. Sex work is work, and for many queer people, it is a means of surviving in a world where opportunities are few and far between. I never shy away from representing the reality of my community, even if there is a social agenda to rewrite how we are represented. Dawn’s experience was based on the life of the actor, Miyoko Anderson, who plays the role in addition to being a story editor for the film.”
Julien is a genderqueer kid who is distinctly at risk because of a violent home life. Do you think Julien’s anger partly turns into a fantasy where safety is found with Tony and Otis?
“Julien is a bombastic and sometimes selfish character. He yearns to be seen and heard, to take up space in a world that seems to not want him. Finding Tony and Otis is a gift he is given, an open friendship in adolescence that many queer folks never get to experience. As we see in the film, patterns he has learned through trauma faced at home ultimately lead him to lash out at those he loves for fear of losing them or being abandoned. Julien wants to be loved, and when you grow up with barriers in the home, you desperately seek out acceptance.”
Julien has had to grow up fast. He wears his queerness with pride and seems worldly but there is so much vulnerability. How did you work with actor Matteus Lunot to craft the character?
“Julien is a part of me, as are Tony and Otis. I think the beauty of the character is really in his ability to own queer power, however, when Dawn goes missing and he sees that this open display of queer expression can also make you a target, he begins to regress. He is learning the lesson that he is not invincible and must think before he acts. Matteus was a fantastic actor to work with, and he brought so much life to the role. I worked very closely with Matteus in all aspects of the character, altering dialogue or actions, and finding the right look for Julien to ensure Matteus could feel powerful and liberated in the role. There are moments in the film where all three young performers are playing and experimenting, these are my favourite parts of the film.”
Tony is the only character who seems to have a stable home life where she is not in danger of being thrown out (Otis is closeted). Was it important to you to have at least one character who is supported by their parent?
“I wanted to see a trans character who had a different experience from Dawn, showcasing support and love in the home. I think this was important because it displays how easy radical acceptance can be, for a parent to learn to understand their child and choose love. Again, I was inspired by real life, where Zion Matheson who plays Tony, comes from a progressive and open home. I think showing the range of the queer experience is important in works like this, as we all come from such different backgrounds and histories.”
Can you tell us a little about shooting in Canada and what it means to tell Canadian queer stories?
“I think Canadian cinema can often play it very safely. I wanted to create something that felt loud and unapologetic, and I’m lucky to live in a country that allowed me to push the envelope. The shooting process was a challenge, with non-actors, kids, and a micro-budget, but I was given the freedom to trust my instincts and ultimately create exactly what I set out to make.”
Just as much as the tweens live lives that are hampered by heteronormative expectations, they also have a unique freedom when being with each other. Julien makes them yell they are “free.” Are they really free?
“I think the film is really about kids who know exactly who they are, but not how the world really works. This idea that they are approaching an age of independence and consciousness makes Julien feel free. For a moment, he has what he needs in life, a home, a guardian, and friends who understand and love him. Of course, we understand that these characters will face a lot of hardship in their lives, but as a child, they are still unaware of what that means. They are beautifully naive, and we never get to see that in queer coming-of-age stories. They are fascinated with the queer world and want to get close to it. They are not rejecting who they are, they are navigating how they can exist as they are in the world in front of them.”
Your young cast is astonishing. Can you tell us a little about how you found them?
“The casting process took about two years, as we wanted to do things in a grassroots way. We visited youth shelters, queer alliances in schools, and community programs in order to develop who these characters ultimately would be. Zion, who plays Tony, was a friend of a friend, and I knew she was special, so I based the character after her in many ways. Harlow who plays Otis, and Matteus who plays Julien, were both found in more traditional auditioning situations. We saw over 300 kids, and it really came down to the chemistry between the kids themselves. I spent a lot of time with the kids and encouraged the kids to spend a lot of time together outside of rehearsals, which helped create a friendship that feels real.”
As a queer person, did you inject any of your lived experience into the film?
“I am fascinated with the world as it moves around me and often take inspiration from outside sources, however, I see myself in all of the lead characters, including Dawn. Many of my own feelings and experiences are present in the work, but it is not an autobiographical film. Each of the three kids are different sides of who I am. I am inspired by Ballroom culture and believe that community is a true display of tenacity and resilience. I don’t remember much of growing up, as I disassociated for most of it in order to survive. I like to think of the film as a love letter to a childhood I never had.”
Are there any filmmakers whose work resonated with you when you were writing and shooting Soft?
“The grit and honesty of Jenny Livingston’s Paris Is Burning is really a central inspiration for the film. I am also inspired by filmmakers like Sean Baker and Andrea Arnold, both of whom are not hesitant to make their audience feel uncomfortable or showcase flawed lead characters. I really love how small human moments can feel complex and nuanced, and I think these directors do a great job showcasing that.”
What are some of your most unforgettable moments from working on the film?
“My favourite moments filming, and within the film, are when the kids were able to play and be present with one another. The pool scene in particular was following a very challenging morning where we were rained out of an important scene, but watching the kids have so much fun swimming in that pool really revitalised my spirit. The same can be said for the opening section in the alleyway. Originally, I had a scripted scene written, but after giving the kids the condoms and the cigarettes during rehearsal, I realised how their genuine intrigue and discovery was the right path forward, so I loosened up the scene substantially. When the kids are able to transport the audience into their world, I feel the proudest of what I was able to create.”
What would you like audiences to take away from watching Soft?
“I hope the audience will feel moved by the relationships I am showcasing, as well as enthralled with the world that I have built. I wanted to tell a queer story in a queer world and to have the audience leave that fantasy at the end of the film feeling like they understand the beauty of what we are and what we create, is really important to me. I want the audience to understand the nuance behind the lives they read are taken from us in articles regarding trans violence, to understand the humanity behind the headline. Lastly, I want the audience to smile and feel entertained by the frivolities of being a young kid navigating the world. The film in many ways is a celebration of our resilience to always push forward, dancing and laughing together while we do it.”
