Blue Jean: Drama about an introverted gym teacher in northern England in the late 1980s whose job is put in jeopardy when a new student threatens to reveal her sexuality.
Plot and background
P.E. teacher Jean Newman (Rose McEwen) lives a double life in late 1980s England. After Margaret Thatcher with her conservative parliamentary majority passed the homophobic law “Section 28” is “the promotion of homosexuality” officially banned. Jean has to keep her lesbian identity secret at the school where she is employed for this reason, so as not to jeopardize her job. Her self-confident partner Viv (Kerrie Hayes) is aware of the risk for Jean and supports her, but would still like to see a little more courage from her. The weekends they both spend in the queer nightlife of Newcastle, so that they can at least act out in their free time. When Jean meets one of her students in a lesbian bar, she has to make a serious decision.
“Blue Jean” – background, cast, theatrical release
In her debut feature, director Georgia Oakley tells the story of a young lesbian woman who finds herself significantly constrained by political decisions during a deeply repressive time in Britain. “Blue Jean” also represents a contemporary testimony to the resistant power of the queer community, which was just beginning to form in opposition to the Iron Lady and her conservative government.
It stars newcomer Rosy McEwen, who won the Best Actress award at the 2022 British Independent Film Awards for her portrayal of schoolteacher Jean. Other roles include Kerrie Hayes (“The Mill”), Lydia Page (“The Confession of Frannie Langton”) and Lucy Halliday.
The drama had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award in the “Giornate degli Autori” section. In this country, the portrait of time will be released in cinemas on October 5, 2023.
