Kristen Stewart Advocates For Broader Conversations On LGBTQ Cinema At The Berlin Film Festival

At the Berlin Film Festival, Kristen Stewart challenges the narrative surrounding LGBTQ cinema, advocating for broader discussions beyond emphasizing identity alone. In promoting "Love Lies Bleeding," she underscores the importance of unearthing sidelined perspectives in filmmaking.

Outlook International Desk

Updated on: 19 February 2024 9:44 pm

Kristen Stewart at the Berlin Film Festival Photo: Reuters

Kristen Stewart expressed her readiness for discussions surrounding films with queer and female narratives to move beyond solely emphasizing that aspect of their identity during conversations with journalists at the Berlin Film Festival on Sunday.

"We can't keep doing that thing where we tell everyone how to feel and where we sort of pat each other on the back and receive brownie points for providing space for marginalized voices, and only in the capacity that they are allowed to speak about that alone," she said.

"The era of queer films being so pointedly only that is done."

Returning to Berlin, Stewart was there to promote "Love Lies Bleeding," a gritty crime-romance set in the 1980s Southwestern U.S., following her role as jury president at the previous year's film festival.

Directed by Rose Glass, known for the religious thriller "Saint Maud," the film portrays Stewart as Lou, a gym manager and the daughter of a local crime boss, who becomes enamored with Jackie, portrayed by newcomer Katy O'Brian, as she passes through town on her journey to a Las Vegas bodybuilding competition.

"The person who we normally don't listen to, the person that we normally don't look at, like she's up front and centre in her (Glass') movie," said Stewart at the press conference alongside Glass.

"I'm really kind of into the idea of unearthing sidelined perspectives, and not making it all about the reasons that they're sidelined, but (about) their actual experience," stated Stewart.

The film made its debut at the Sundance Film Festival.

Other cast members of the A24-backed film, such as O'Brian, Ed Harris, and Dave Franco, were not present on Sunday.

Both Stewart and Glass exuded a relaxed demeanor on stage, sharing light-hearted jokes about quitting smoking and the American fixation on motivational quotes, while also delving into the topic of being women in the film industry.

"The kind of common conversation about women making films is that we get to empower ourselves and each other," said Stewart.

"The interviews that we do as artists, as female artists, are so prescriptive, pushing this idea of empowerment because it makes everyone else more comfortable about the fact that we've been so oppressed," said Stewart.