Neil BakerUnicorns arrives in cinemas on July 5.
Exploring gender, individual truth, identity and transformation, James Krishna Floyd’s directorial debut Unicorns finds a unique and compelling voice in exploring gender, masculinity, fluidity, identity, and transformation. Alongside his co-director Sally El Hosaini (My Brother the Devil and The Swimmers), Unicorns proudly places the British gaysian scene centre stage in a fascinating, beautiful and urgent exploration of culture, class, alienation and individual metamorphosis. Aysha, played by the incredible Jason Patel, is a force of nature, a British Indian drag queen who defies hashtags and labels, preferring to be known as an icon and legend of the gaysian scene, which he most certainly is! Not “out” to anyone back home in the North West of England, apart from his brother, Aysha sings, dances, and supplements his income from a department store job with gigs, performances, and private parties that allow him to be free as the sun goes down over Londons pubs and clubs.
One night, Aysha meets Luke, the fabulous Ben Hardy, a single dad from Essex, who has stumbled into an underground gaysian club by mistake. Luke can’t take his eyes off Aysha, and Aysha is more than interested in Luke. However, Luke hasn’t clocked that Aysha is a drag queen, and Aysha hasn’t yet realised that Luke is unaware of that fact. As they kiss, Luke suddenly spots Aysha’s Adam’s apple and pulls away, initially wiping his mouth in confusion, his sense of masculinity wounded. But a connection has been made, one that carries a power Luke isn’t yet ready to explore, even if Aysha is.
James Krishna Floyd and Sally El Hosaini never shy away from a series of challenging social issues, from honour-based violence to mental health and the interface between religion and sexual orientation. As a result, while Unicorns is, at its heart, a love story about two people unexpectedly drawn to each other, it’s also about the social, individual and racial barriers that stop so many people from living their lives unrestrained. Hardy and Patel’s performances are understated yet powerful as they capture the fear and joy of an emerging love that is uncertain, nervous, and yet unstoppable in its quiet intensity. Their performances allow room for nuance and authenticity as the walls between them break down, often without the need for words. It is the story of two young men who are never entirely sure where they are heading but know that deep in their hearts, their shared trajectory is the right one.
