ABSTRACT

This paper reports findings from interviews with key Australian stakeholders involved in Australian films with gender- and sexually-diverse (LGBTQ+) characters, themes and narratives. The paper found that directors, creative producers, screenwriters and actors involved stakeholders of Australian LGBTQ+ film expressed a desire to impact their audiences in ways that emphasise the value of entertainment texts for minority representation, pedagogy and social change beyond pure storytelling. This paper presents an account of three key frameworks through which film stakeholders expressed their understanding of – and motivation towards – impact beyond storytelling: (i) as filling a gap in LGBTQ+ representation in contrast to what was otherwise perceived as relative invisibility; (ii) their perception as stakeholders dealing with LGBTQ+ content as having a special role as ‘educators’ for the benefit of vulnerable youth; and (iii) an understanding of their texts as contributing to social change in Australia, including wider acceptance of LGBTQ+ persons, family members and communities. A significant finding from this study is that screen media films about LGBTQ+ topics continue to be perceived as playing a role connected with but exceeding entertainment.

摘要

本文报告了对澳大利亚电影中涉及性别和性多样化 (LGBTQ+) 角色、主题和叙事的主要澳大利亚利益相关者的采访结果。该论文发现，涉及澳大利亚 LGBTQ+ 电影利益相关者的导演、创意制片人、编剧和演员表示希望以强调娱乐文本对少数族裔代表、教育学和社会变革的价值的方式影响他们的观众，而不仅仅是讲故事。本文介绍了三个关键框架，电影利益相关者通过这些框架表达了他们对讲故事之外的影响的理解和动机：(ii) 他们作为处理 LGBTQ+ 内容的利益相关者的看法，认为他们在为弱势青年谋福利方面扮演着特殊的“教育者”角色；(iii) 理解他们的文本有助于澳大利亚的社会变革，包括更广泛地接受 LGBTQ+ 人士、家庭成员和社区。这项研究的一个重要发现是，关于 LGBTQ+ 主题的银幕媒体电影继续被认为在发挥作用与娱乐相关但超出娱乐范围。