➤ SUPERNOVA, from p.28
APARTMENTS
hushed. For its fi rst two thirds, Sam and Tusker
just try to live day by day, putting off a confrontation
with the enormity of their problems. But
they constantly butt heads. While this starts
to seem like Macqueen’s method of establishing
their bona fi des as a couple, it soon reveals
itself as the strain of living with an incurable,
slowly progressing disease. The English reputation
for emotional reticence is played out here,
breaking through once in a startlingly physical
struggle.
Tucci and Firth are long-time friends. Both
have portrayed gay characters several times before,
but “Supernova” was made at a time when
the legitimacy of such casting has been widely
questioned — much more so than when Firth
played a gay professor in Tom Ford’s 2009 “A
Single Man.” Macqueen did not initially write
his script with a gay couple in mind, and apart
from one reference to Britain’s anti-gay Section
28 law, the fi lm could’ve had been cast with a
heterosexual couple without making any real
changes. While an air of doom hangs over its
characters, the tragic fate facing Tusker has
nothing to do with his sexuality. “Supernova”
takes place in a world where being gay is never
an issue, rather than turning homophobia or
the closet into lazy plot devices.
But when Tusker talks about his despair at
the idea of losing control over his mind, one wonders
what particular connotations this might
have to a gay man in his 60s, who likely had
friends who succumbed during the AIDS crisis
decades before. The script never explores this.
The fi lm wouldn’t necessarily benefi t from a sex
scene, and Firth and Tucci make a convincing
couple. But it still plays into a middlebrow idea
of good taste, in which gay men’s physical intimacy
must be kept at arm’s length.
The fi nal third of “Supernova” fi nally won me
over, breaking down many of the barricades
that the fi lm seemed to have set up. It confi rms
that Macqueen knew what he was doing when
he made the tone so cold at fi rst. American and
European culture fi nds it very hard to talk
about death. Our cinema is much better at representing
violence than pain or grief.
“Supernova” strips down its narrative until it
eventually turns into a one-room chamber piece
between Sam and Tusker, where they are forced
to confront his mortality and their differing attitudes
towards it. This section could be staged
as a one-act play (and that’s not meant as criticism).
“Supernova” very movingly accepts the
reality of a looming collapse that no road trip
can run away from.
“SUPERNOVA” | Directed by Harry Macqueen
| Bleecker Street | Began streaming on VOD February
16
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➤POTTERY,, from p.24
port, the likelihood of escaping poverty, meeting
the needs of family, and avoiding potential
misdeeds from the past becomes a more signifi -
cant challenge. This is why organizations such
as People’s Pottery Project are so essential.
Ilka Perkins, a co-founder of People’s Pottery
Project who formally experienced incarceration,
said, “After I got out, I didn’t always feel welcome.
I would be looked at differently. I have a
community of people who’ve experienced what
I’ve experienced, who support me.”
Though People’s Pottery Project has experienced
some lag in production and classes due
to the pandemic, the studio’s employees continue
to construct beautifully elegant handmade
ceramic bowls and plates from stoneware
clay.
“The emotional response to this has been
everything,” said Larkey. “I can’t believe what
I do. It’s a safe space. Some of our participants
have struggled with homelessness, but here,
now, they’re able to resource share.” Larkey
also remarked readers must understand the
implications of sentencing laws and how necessary
it is to hold a public dialogue about
race and sentencing differences for women of
color.
Sentencing reform advocates have urged offi
cials to pivot tough-on-crime policies to justice
focused alternatives in an effort to foster
rehabilitation. Advocates drill the point that
the root of crime, such as poverty, trauma,
and mental health, is the most serviceable way
to diminish crime. Likewise, they believe that
doing away with jail time mandates and cash
bail, as well as broadening the ability to offer
citations for certain offenses instead of arresting
offenders, can yield fairer results. There’s
also something to be said about a need for gender
responsive policies and programs, which
underscore the distinct needs of women, trans
and non-binary inmates, which differ from
men’s needs.
“We’re shedding light on carceral systems,
and we’re providing an uplifting story,” Larkey
said. “I can’t believe how lucky I am to
do the work that I do. I’m grounded in work
that isn’t about me; we’re providing a safe
space. In the past, some employees have
struggled with homelessness, but here, now,
they’re able to fi nd resources, gain a second
chance.”
Lauren Fuller, a full-time employee of People’s
Pottery Project, echoed the sentiments of
others belonging to the collective, telling Gay
City News, “This has been one of the best experiences
and opportunities of my life.”
Those interested in donating or offering support
to People’s Potter Project in any way can
visit the organization’s website.
Note: Published research and studies only
identifi ed “men” and “women” and did not have
any distinguishing language that spoke to nongender
conformity or trans identities.
GayCityNews.com | February 25 - March 10, 2021 31
/GayCityNews.com
