Transliving was recently approached by Monika Wilczynska, a university student who is in her final year of a BA (Hons), in Film TV and Digital Media Production at Regent’s University London. Monika contacted us as she has decided to do her final pre-graduation project film on the LGBTQ community, and what follows, is our exclusive interview with her.
TLI: What is the film about?
MW: Who I Am is a drama short film based on real events from the life of a friend of mine from Sweden. It is a ‘coming of age’ tale about Elijah, a young transgender teenager from a very religious background, who has to try to reconcile their identity with their faith and their family’s expectations of them. It is about believing in ourselves and not compromising our own integrity in order to please our surroundings. The film inquires: can an LGBTQ-identifying person benefit from religion whilst staying true to who they are? Why is it important to tackle identity in regards to religion? How restrictive is our perception of spirituality and divinity? Who I Am does not attempt to answer these questions but it aspires to open the dialogue to the public on subjects that have been under-represented or taboo for far too long.