Road-family-Bounding Trip

• First of all, the originality of this film: co-created by a father, Ian Gabriel (director) and his son Gabe (scriptwriter).

From the outset, it seems essential to the two South African artists that their desire was born out of a desire to portray a welcoming and positive relationship between a Trans son and his father. In other words, something never seen before in cinema.

• Secondly, we find very present their intentions to show in each character (very autobiographical) and in each narrative line: an incredible authenticity that totally escapes the codes (or even the normalization) of the fashionable ‘LGBT friendly’ block-busters whose productions have moreover shown their skepticism in the face of the overly political purpose of the very genesis of the film.

This is a story based above all on empirical, everyday subjectivity. Revealing the invisible in an

The basis of the screenplay is in fact largely inspired by and fed by discussions between a father and his son. The first was trying to understand his son's identity beyond what he had seen in the media. The second wanted to know more about his father's past: ‘Who was this man before, and who did he want to become as a young man? ‘*. Together they dream up 'the shadows, opportunities and hopes that should transpire in the film. These outlines provide a framework for the desired image and its colors. In creating the film, they allow their emotions to become a substance of their own, carrying meaning for the audience’.*

• The screenwriter's knowledge of Cape Town's queer scene provides a common thread to his story, as well as a rich atmosphere with which he is very familiar. It also sets the scene for certain aspects of the local scene.

In Cape Town, we already have everything we need, it's right there in front of us’.

As an anecdote, for the casting of the role of the father, he asked the actors to come and sing a song in Drag. unvarnished way, and yet in the context of a glitzy drag show (it was a daring challenge).

• As a child, Gabe was always encouraged by his father in his artistic endeavors to use his imagination and, above all, his audacity! Apparently quite a storyteller in his own right, this is blatantly apparent in his dialogue and script writing choices. So he decided to tell the story of his family, which was already rooted in his childhood, in contrast to the narratives and the family intrigues totally opposed to his own. His ambition and brazenness are reflected in the strong traits that characterize his principal characters, but also mark a personal and without complexes chronicle on his community.

• Finally, in his manuscript, he uses inclusive writing and pronouns that correspond to the gender of each of his characters. He insists that this is a practice that is still very uncommon in the film industry today, but that it allows him to add nuances that are important to him, because

It's not enough to tick the LGBT box in front of the camera, when in practice and in the tools behind the camera, nothing changes. Then you immediately feel the inconsistency and that doesn't help anyone or anything.

• What's more? This script. While revealing a touching and unique intimacy, the family-comedy plays with the Road-Trip/ Rock'n'Roll codes. Betrayal, Rehab, Adventures await you at the turn of barbed wire borders.

*https://filmfreeway.com/RunsInTheFamily432