GAYBY BABY (Maya Newell, Australia). 85 minutes. Rating: NNNN
Gus is obsessed with professional wrestling, Ebony sort of wants to become a pop star, Graham has a hard time reading, and Matt is questioning religion.
What’s their common denominator? They’re all Australian, between 11 and 12 and are being raised by same-sex parents.
Ebony is auditioning to get into an arts school, which will presumably be more tolerant, but we don’t see her getting ostracized. And even when Graham and his two dads move to the more traditional Fiji, there don’t seem to be any roadblocks.
I think that’s director Maya Newell‘s point. These kids and families are like any others, with regular problems. The program notes say that Newell was raised by same-sex parents, and contrasting her experience with another generation’s might have provided context.
But each one of these kids and his or her family dynamic is complex, and by the end you’ll be cheering for them.
Apr 29, 6:30 pm, Isabel Bader May 1, 1 pm, TIFF 1 May 2, 3:45 pm, TIFF 2
