by Pablo Alfierri
Worth: $15.00
FilmInk rates movies out of $20 — the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worth
Cast:
The Ford Family
Intro:
… an intimate and joyful portrait of Canada’s self-proclaimed “gayest family”, weaving together three generations of lesbian love stories that challenge our expectations of what family can look like.
The filmmaking process is an intricate craft that requires weaving narratives through constructed worlds. When done masterfully, these fabricated realities become almost indistinguishable from truth. This is where documentary filmmaking steps in, grounding us back in authenticity by inviting us into spaces where real people share their genuine stories and experiences.
Unusually Normal exemplifies documentary storytelling at its most genuine. The filmmakers take a refreshingly understated approach, allowing their subjects to truly be themselves – whether they’re playfully bickering during interviews or sharing genuine moments of laughter.
At the heart of the film is the Ford family, dubbed ‘Canada’s Gayest Family’ by Karen Ford on her social media platforms, where she’s built a following of over 160,000 across Facebook and TikTok. The family centers around Linda Ford, the matriarch, alongside her wife Janice Moore. Together with Karen’s partner Cathy Lebel, they raised Madison – who humorously notes that she’s “thankful to my parents for being accepting of my straight identity”, as the sole straight-identifying woman in a close family circle that includes four mothers and two grandmothers.
The documentary deftly interweaves each woman’s story through animated family trees and intimate interviews, exploring their individual journeys of self-discovery, their experiences as young lesbians, and the paths that led them to their present lives. The film is enriched by rare archival footage that offers precious glimpses into queer history – from the Gay Olympics of the mid-1960s to early pride rallies in the 1980s.
Throughout the film, we’re reminded of the challenges that have shaped LGBTQIA+ experiences, particularly those of queer women. In one touching moment, Linda Ford, now in her late 80s, reflects on seeking community in her youth: “There were plenty of places for the men, but only one place for the women” – an observation that still resonates today. The weight of societal pressure is evident in Linda’s own journey; she only came out publicly six years before the film’s production, encouraged by her daughters to embrace her identity online.
Her words capture the liberation of that moment: “It was such a relief, it was so freeing”.
Lesbian narratives remain underrepresented within the broader queer storytelling landscape, making Unusually Normal particularly valuable. The film offers an intimate window into the joy, resilience, and profound connections that characterise the lesbian narrative.
Beyond its immediate impact, Unusually Normal serves a vital archival purpose. It preserves these essential stories not just for general audiences, but crucially for young queer women who need to see that their future can be filled with love, acceptance, and unbreakable family bonds.
