Blue Jean

England, 1988. Physical education teacher Jean (Rosy McEwen) finds herself forced to lead a double life: Margaret Thatcher and her conservative parliamentary majority have just passed Section 28, a homophobic law that prohibits “the promotion of homosexuality.” No one at school can know that Jean is a lesbian – otherwise she could lose her job. Her feisty partner Viv supports Jean, but would like her girlfriend to be a little braver. On weekends, they dive into Newcastle's queer nightlife together. When Jean encounters one of her students in a lesbian bar, she has to make a difficult decision... “Blue Jean” does not feel like a debut film, even though it is one. Georgia Oakley's feature film debut is much more self-assured than its title character, and the director does not shy away from addressing sensitive issues. The 1980s zeitgeist, with its synth pop à la “New Order” and bomber jackets, also perfectly conveys the sensitive drama. With keen powers of observation, the film depicts how Jean threatens to break down under external circumstances. She never wanted to be a rebel. But if she wants to remain true to herself, she has no other choice. [...] The film draws its power from the clever staging of fleeting moments [...]. At the same time, lead actress McEwen has internalized her character's emotional and moral struggle so deeply that one quickly forgets that she is portraying a fictional person. “Blue Jean” is restrained cinema, highly concentrated and oppressively intense, which always keeps its feet on the ground and never goes overboard." (Pamela Jahn, on: kunstundfilm.de) »A supremely accomplished debut feature from writerdirector Georgia Oakley, BLUE JEAN captures a specific moment in British history with almost uncanny accuracy.« THE GUARDIAN