The film tells the story of Shams El Zanati from its origins, tracing the events that took place before Marshal Barai and his men attacked the oasis. It focuses on the upbringing of Shams and the formation of his character, as well as his relationships with his friends, companions, and the inhabitants of the oasis.
Although Christmas is a time of year for love and cheer for all, holiday cinema has not always represented diverse communities. Being a holiday with Christian origins, much of its media consists of straight white families or straight white romances. Luckily, modern years have been bringing with them plenty of POC and LGBTQ+ representation that the holidays so desperately need.
‘Run Sweetheart Run’ has everything women fear the most, from psycho boyfriends to tampons.
This film was filled with great plot points. Unfortunately, they all contradicted each other and clashed. Had the premise of Awake been more consistent and accurately portrayed the real world aspect, I think this could have been an extreme success.
Battles will come and go and queer people do die for their identity and fights for rights, but that doesn’t mean the gays don’t deserve their happy endings in stories.
The power of a talented female director like Patty Jenkins and an overall diverse cast is what makes this film worth watching for me.
True crime media is notoriously obsessed with the “missing white woman” trope, and yet the vast majority of American murder victims are male, and well over half are people of color.
