Hey nerdlings!!! I have something really exciting to share with you! I have had to wait for so long to be able to talk about this and I was starting to feel like this day would never come! One of my artists is a very talented film maker and I get to share one of her films, for the first time outside of a competitive film festival! Her name is Cori Brownlee and she is quite a woman indeed.
Very kind, thoughtful, highly intelligent, creative beyond belief, articulate, talented, and driven; Cori is a genuine force of nature. On her downtime she lovingly works away at her chain mail and dragon scale creations, but her real passion is film. Not just any film, but artfully constructed social commentary, filled with insight and poignancy.
In “Distortion”, the film I am sharing with you, Cori worked closely with her son David (who plays the main character in the film), to bring to light the inner turmoil of a youth struggling to reconcile his identity and whether or not to give up the fight:
‘”Distortion” explores the desperation some teens experience while navigating the journey to adulthood. While trying to learn about themselves and navigate the emotional upheaval of the teenage years, rejection and frustration can overwhelm the truth. “Distortion” follows one young man as he contemplates bringing an end to the pain.’
When I watched this short film for the first time, it was a little like a gut punch. It hit me that the struggle portrayed here was probably quite similar to what my trans daughter had gone through during her high school years. We were lucky, with a lot of help, patience, and love, we were able to break through all the white noise that tends to distort the perceptions of teenagers and her journey continues. If I am being honest, there are also elements of my own teenage years as I struggled with the societal norms being thrust upon me in the 1980’s. Not gonna lie….my eyes may have leaked a little, both, for the pain of loss resulting around those who choose to end the pain, and with gratitude for my life and my children’s.
Please, show Cori some love. Encourage her vision, that she may continue to build on her body of work. If you are so inclined, you can also check out her emotional support dragons and other works in the shop. Every little bit helps.
That’s all for now nerdlings! Love you all, stay safe and healthy!
Cheers!
Nikki