NOVA EXCLUSIVE!

England, 1988. Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative government has introduced Section 28, a clause of the Local Government Act which seeks to prohibit “the promotion of homosexuality” by local authorities across the United Kingdom. For Jean (Rosy McEwen), a gym teacher whose sexuality is a secret from her colleagues, the threat is immediate and real. At work, every sidelong glance, every whisper, and every query about Jean’s private life is a threat. Sympathy from her girlfriend Viv (Kerrie Hayes) also feels limited. Out and proud, and part of a co-operative of similarly assertive lesbian women, Viv regards secrecy as capitulation to an increasingly oppressive system. As pressure mounts from all sides, the arrival of a new girl at school catalyses a crisis that will challenge Jean to her core.

Anchored by a stunning performance from  McEwen, this feature debut by writer-director Georgia Oakley grips like a thriller, exploring with sensitivity a period in British history which still resonates today.