There is a short film that will be making its way through the film festival circuit this year. And You Are…? is a beautifully and emotionally crafted film that will not only tug at your heart but shed a spotlight on the plights of the trans and the elderly community, showing that even without fully understanding gender or Alzheimer’s, we can and must still show love. It is raw in its simplicity, and artful in its execution. Written and directed by actor Alicia Coppola, the film’s leads are Emmy and multiple Golden Globe Award winner Jane Seymour, and Zach Barack, credited as the first openly transgender actor in a Marvel film. They play grandmother and her trans grandson who spend the day together during a normal visit, both of them lost but trying to find their identity. Grabbing on to each other for comfort, one trying to move on from his past, and one trying desperately to remember her past. Bound by love, there is a moving understanding that is so masterfully presented.
This is Alicia Coppola’s second short film. Her first project, Between Us, is also a raw and emotional slice of her personal life. In front of the camera, she is a veteran actor with an extensive list of credits that include Why Women Kill, Empire, Shameless, Jericho, The Young and the Restless, with her very early start on Another World. She has fought for the making of this film, receiving some resistance from both the mainstream and LGBTQ entertainment world. Determined to tell this story, she applied a little guerilla filmmaking to complete the project to stunning effect. From the LGBTQ world, some were wondering why this cis and straight actress was trying so hard to get this film made. But, along with power partners, sweat, and a little Melissa Etheridge, the film is ready to showcase.
What was the inspiration behind making this film?
I have a family member with Alzheimer’s and a family member who is transgender. I wanted to find a way of linking these two characters in an intergenerational manner to unite us.
What was your mission in making this film?
My mission in making And You Are…? is to open minds and open hearts. We are not as dissimilar as we might think. We all want to be understood, accepted, and loved for who we truly authentically are.
What do you want audiences to walk away with having seen this film?
I want the audience to walk away with a deeper understanding of the loneliness of our elderly with Alzheimer’s experience. We tend to shut the doors on our elderly, especially those with Alzheimer’s and dementia. They are neglected. Our LGBTQ+ youth are not just neglected, they are horrifically shunned, specifically our trans youth. I don’t know anyone who hates an older white woman with Alzheimer’s, but we all know people who hate transgender people and want to deny our trans youth life-affirming medical care. What their dog is in this fight, I have no idea. There should not be one. But I want them specifically to learn about our trans kids and learn to accept and dare I venture, love what they don’t understand. As parents, we have a simple choice for our children – we plan their future or their funeral. Which side of the ground do you want your kids on? This is an easy choice for me, as it should be for every parent.
What were some of your biggest challenges in getting the film made/seen?
I wrote, directed, and produced And You Are…? with my husband Anthony Michael Jones, and my dear friend Nancy Kirhoffer. There was no big machine/studio/production company supporting us at all. We privately fundraised. Money is always a HUGE challenge for an indie short or feature film. But we have very dear friends who invested their money because they believed in the film and its messaging. Getting sponsors like Martinelli’s was not challenging, just very time-consuming. Trying to find the right contact at the company was months of email deep dives but ultimately positive. They couldn’t be kinder. The same can be said for Melissa Etheridge’s song Testify. It took me nine months to find the right contacts at Universal Music Group and Universal Music Publishing Group. Once I did, however, they were so helpful and amazing. Peau De Loup the clothing line from Canada also sponsored the film by donating Max’s (Zach Barack) clothing. We love them! My camera was donated by Rufus Burnham at The Camera Division. Honestly, there are challenges in getting up in the morning. If you look for challenges, you will find them. I prefer to look for the angels. I found them. I think the key to doing anything, to getting anything created is to surround oneself with a choice group of people. I had the love and support of my cast, my crew, and my post-production teams. And You Are…? was created by and for love. It is a love letter at its core.
What did you love most about working with these actors?
There are no words. As a writer, I wonder if anyone will actually read my words let alone want to be involved in the creation of my vision. Sherry Thomas is a brilliant casting director and friend, who donated her time. She was on board from the jump. I wrote Lynn with Jane in mind. She was in Dublin when we initially wanted to film, so we waited for her to wrap. Jane became my mother in front of my eyes. I honestly have never seen anything like it. Jane is sheer magic. My job was to just get out of her way and keep my lens on her. When I saw Zach’s self-tape, I cried. He was and is pure perfection. I worked with Diana Lu on FOX’s 911 and knew she was Sherry (Lynn’s nurse). She has a kindness and gentleness about her. I just loved how my actors responded to my words, and how wonderfully they inhabited their characters. I am very fortunate they believed in me.
What do you love about being behind the camera as opposed to being in front?
I am very calm behind the camera. That’s not to say I’m not calm in front. It’s just a different level of ease because I use my whole being when I direct. I’m seeing my vision come to life as opposed to someone else’s. As an actress, I’m the mouth for the writer’s words, and the body for the director’s vision. As a director, I am allowed to orchestrate the writer’s vision. Even if it’s someone else’s words, I can use all of me to understand their vision to tell our story. This is why I have written and directed two short films. I want to expand my vast acting career, to take what I have learned over 30 years on set. I hope to start directing episodic television and to also write and direct the feature of And You Are…?
Why is it so important for these types of stories to be made?
Art is the reflection of our life stories. I believe it is through our art that we come together. Everyone deserves to see themselves mirrored on our televisions, our screens, and our walls. By doing so we feel seen. Everyone wants, nay, needs to be seen. To be seen is to be acknowledged. It is my hope and prayer that the characters in And You Are…? will be acknowledged and therefore accepted. Acceptance leads to understanding, which leads to compassion, which leads to love.
Did you have any trepidation in putting yourself out in the industry as an ally?
No Way. Never. Ever.
As an ally, how do you think the LGBTQ community can best build relationships with the ally community to forge better understanding?
I think as human beings all walking this planet together, we need to open our minds and hearts to each other. That is why I wrote And You Are…? the way I did. It is the most unlikely of buddy films. Lynn, a grandmother suffering from Alzheimer’s who only has the past to prove she exists. Her grandson Max desperately wants to erase his past as it never proved his true existence. It’s an intergenerational story that shows we are not as dissimilar as we think. We all need to get out of each other’s way and out of each other’s business. I always say everyone needs a glass of Chardonnay and a nap. And to kindly and politely go away.
As a working actor in Hollywood, do you think the industry is truly embracing the LGBTQ community behind the scenes?
I would hope so. I know I and my team are. I can’t speak for Hollywood. I think Hollywood embraces what Hollywood wants to embrace. What that is varies from minute to minute.
What did you learn about yourself from doing this project?
I am formidable. I am a mother. I am a daughter. I am fierce. I am unstoppable. I am a beast.
The film features Jane Seymour as you’ve never seen her before. The actor, who over the years has become America’s sweetheart with roles as a Bond girl, in Somewhere in Time, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, Wedding Crashers, and much more, is devoid of the typical Hollywood glam given to her stature. With grey hair, minimal makeup, and a hunched walk, she embodies the character of Lynn who is in a constant battle with her memory and surroundings. There is a double play here, as the audience feels the shock of seeing a version of Jane, the actor, in a way that we really haven’t before, as well as feeling the pain of what her character is going through. With complete pathos, this is why she is a multiple award winner. As a philanthropist, she has supported a number of causes, including the founding of Open Hearts Foundation, and as an ambassador for Childhelp.
What struck you most when you first read the script for And You Are…?
I felt the script was very moving. It was a story I had never heard before or seen told on screen. It was very well written and if directed well, it would have a great impact in both worlds. I also felt it was a role I would be excited to play.
What made you say yes to doing the film?
I wanted to show filmmakers my range. No one in America has seen me in this kind of role and I knew it was something I could really dive into.
What was your biggest challenge, as an actor, in making this film?
I didn’t think of it as a challenge but rather as an opportunity to discover this woman’s world and live there for the time of filming. With the help of Georgie the puppy, I felt I was Lynn for those few days.
Did you have any trepidation about being part of an LGBTQ project?
Not at all.
What have you learned about the trans community since doing this film?
It was an honor to work with Zach and to have the chance to talk openly about his choices and journey. From what I have learned so far, it’s a difficult and brave choice. It is not an easy journey but one that I respect and am learning to understand.
What is your take on the increased LGBTQ representation in Hollywood?
Art is for everyone, and everyone should be represented.
What did you love most about making the film?
I loved working with Alicia Coppola, Anthony, Zach, and Diana, and our tiny, lovely crew. I love that you can tell a very compelling story in 18 minutes and engage the viewer, move them to tears, and have them wanting more.
Holding his own alongside the industry veteran, Zach Barack as Max did not hold back from making his personal journey part of the film. The audience sees Max inject his testosterone, we see the scars from top surgery, and we see the struggle of being understood as he truly is. As an actor, singer, and comedian hailing from the northern suburbs of Chicago, he has been seen as an actor and voice actor in TV and films. His performance in Spider-Man: Far From Home earned him the distinction as the first openly trans actor in a Marvel film, something he is still asked about though his career has become so much more.
What was your first reaction when you read the script for And You Are…?
I was so excited to mesh the worlds of a person who clings to their memories and one who wishes to alter his own. It felt like a unique take on this story. I’m done doing somber pieces when being trans is about so much more, like the fulfilling relationships we can have with all kinds of people in our lives.
What made you say yes to doing the film?
It was exciting to be handpicked to represent a character that the filmmaker was so close to. I knew I’d be doing as raw a version of this story as was possible.
What was your biggest challenge in making this film?
I’ve been transitioning for so long that I sometimes forget the feeling of introducing the concept to loved ones. This character must find all the patience in the world, and sometimes I lack that. It was healing and taught me a lot about what I could stand to have more of.
What did you love most about working with Alicia as a filmmaker?
Alicia is as honest as they come. She didn’t spit any bull. It was clear and concise. From the directing in the moment to the preparation. It was like- “Come over, we are practicing because we are working with Jane Seymour, and we can’t ‘f’ this up!”
What did you love most about working with Jane as a costar?
Jane was really lost in character at times. We’d be taking photos, not even filming, and I’d look over and she’d have the eyes of an adoring grandmother. It was turned on when it needed to be. She was great.
What is your coming out story?
I just shoved it down the throats of everyone I love. I wasn’t patient. I wasn’t kind, to be honest. I was just tired of waiting to be comfortable and I found that I had curated a support system of people with patience and tolerance and love for that. So, it taught me a lot about what the people I love are willing to do and how impactful I can be when I say what I mean and what I need.
Did you have any trepidation in being an openly trans actor for fear it may limit your career?
Nope. I am what I am, ya know? Like when I first started auditioning, I still got misgendered a lot. Hiding it wasn’t an option. The unfortunate side is that I find it hard to break into other spaces in the industry, which is silly because I just want to make stuff – have little creativity parties with anyone who will have me. So, it has its ups and downs because I feel like others put challenges and limitations upon me, but I don’t have beef with myself. I’m actually very sexy and dumb and lovable. And sexy.
You have the distinction of being the first openly trans actor in a Marvel film, what does it feel like to have that title?
It’s been so long and so many interviews about that. I’m at a point where I just have thanks for what it did for me. And now please PLEASE put more trans people in all kinds of roles. That was five years ago and we still don’t have what we’re fighting for in the industry.
How can we best support the trans community?
Cast us in other roles than just plot devices for other characters to grow. Let us be silly and not even have to talk about being trans in everything we are in. Let us write. Don’t hire consultants to tell you that you’re writing correctly, just put a trans person on your writing staff. Talk the talk. It’s easy as pie. I love pie!
What do you want audiences to walk away with having seen And You Are…?
It’s possible to have grace and love for everyone who is trying to be heard, so long as they are willing to hear you. Listen to people; they’ll tell you the truth if you’re kind to them.
Look for And You Are…? coming to a film festival near you.
Photo credit Katie Flynn
Graphic Designer for the Poster for all Photos: Laura Aguero
Last modified: February 1, 2024
