Actor James Krishna Floyd makes his directorial debut with “Unicorns,” a film that delves deep into the complexities of identity within the U.K.’s South Asian LGBTQ+ community.
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From a script written by Floyd, “Unicorns” follows Aysha/Ashiq, a queer South Asian club performer living a double life who meets Luke, a straight, single-father mechanic, with whom unexpected sparks begin to fly. The film stars Ben Hardy (“Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Love at First Sight”), newcomer Jason Patel, Nisha Nayar (“Buddha of Suburbia”), Hannah Onslow (“Empire of Light”) and Sagar Radia (“Industry”).
Floyd, who co-directed the film with Sally El Hosaini (“The Swimmers”), explained to Variety his motivation behind choosing this particular subject. “I wanted my filmmaking debut to be personal and to explore my struggle with having reductive identity labels forced upon me,” Floyd said. “Rarely am I acknowledged for the complexity of my fluidity of self. My experiences with race, sexuality, class, culture and other so-called labels have been very free-flowing.”
The genesis of “Unicorns” can be traced back to Floyd’s encounter with Asifa Lahore, the U.K.’s first out Muslim drag queen, eight years ago. This meeting introduced Floyd to the vibrant “gaysian” [gay, South Asian] scene, which he described as “fertile ground” for expressing his feelings about identity on film.
Floyd’s commitment to authenticity led him on a journey of immersion in the gaysian community. “For two years I spent my free time absorbing the gaysian world she [Asifa] inhabits,” he said. “She led me to the beating heart of the community but also to its secret underbelly.”
This research exposed Floyd to a spectrum of experiences, from the exuberant nightlife to the challenges faced by closeted individuals. He witnessed the resilience of the community, noting, “Laughter and banter was often used to turn a serious situation into a moment of the past.”
“Unicorns” draws inspiration from a tapestry of historical and cultural references. Floyd highlighted the influence of historical Mughal courtesans and Bollywood cinema’s more recent “item girls” on contemporary South Asian drag culture. The film showcases the diversity within the gaysian community, including “realism” drag queens who navigate multiple identities. Floyd said, “Gaysian realism queens can have three identities. They switch from being a femme performer at night, to playing the heteronormative son with their often conservative families at home, to an identity somewhere in between at the workplace.”
“One of the main influences of modern South Asian realism drag queens is the dancing item girl of Bollywood films, who seduces her manly prince in exchange for protection and security,” Floyd added.
The film’s protagonist, Aysha/Ashiq, embodies this cultural legacy in her pursuit of a “modern day Mughal king.” However, the narrative takes an unexpected turn as she finds this figure in Luke, a working-class white single father from Essex, U.K. This cross-cultural romance serves as a vehicle to explore contemporary challenges faced by the gaysian community.
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Floyd emphasizes the importance of portraying generational differences authentically without passing judgment. “It was important that we didn’t judge Aysha/Ashiq’s parents, as they have their own legitimate concerns with the dangers that gaysians like her face,” he said.
The filmmaker also addressed the paradoxical influence of traditional South Asian culture on modern identity expression. “If it wasn’t for the more conservative traditions of older South Asian culture, then my generation and younger would be more tolerated for our fluid identity,” Floyd said. “Yet we have learned our free-flowing identity expression from the same traditional ancient cultures that our parents have passed onto us, and sometimes use to oppress us.”
Floyd further elaborated on the complex historical context, noting the impact of British colonialism on attitudes towards gender and queer expression in South Asia. He pointed out another paradox: while colonial influence may have fostered prejudice, second-generation South Asians in the West have benefited from the relative tolerance of modern Western culture towards fluid identities.
“Unicorns” aims to challenge preconceptions about identity and celebrate its fluidity. As Floyd puts it, “This film asks the question – should identity labels matter? Or even exist?”
Through “Unicorns,” Floyd invites audiences to reconsider their understanding of identity. “It’s fluid and grey. It’s tangled and can be confusing. And that should be celebrated, not oppressed,” he said.
The film debuted at Toronto in 2023. Since then it has had a stellar festival run, with playdates at BFI London, Flare, Goteborg, Palm Springs and Sydney. Protagonist is handling international sales. Signature Entertainment is releasing the film across the U.K. and Ireland on July 5.
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