Writer, director and actressAnnapurna Srirams celluloid fever dream has won over audiences atSXSW.
Because they end up sort of being this baby lamb.
Theyre this pure soul character.
Annapurna Sriram in ‘Fucktoys’Trashtown Pictures
DEADLINE:Tell me about making your directorial debut with this.
I read that you really pushed back against anyone trying to change it.
And I grew up in Tennessee, and I felt like, Why cant I just play a girl?
‘Fucktoys’ writer, director and star Annapurna Sriram at SXSW.Glenn Garner/Deadline
Why cant I just be the girl in the story?
We did table reads, we did a lot of one-on-one, going through the script.
And then at the wrap party, he convinced the producer of that short film to produce my movie.
We were partying, and everyone was like, Were gonna makeFucktoys!
And I was like, Oh my god!
Are we just on drugs or are we actually committing to this?
And I was like, No, Im not.
I didnt go to film school.
I barely went to high school.
I went to acting school, Ive never written an essay.
I dont know anything about filmmaking.
Because I think people were like, Shes untested.
The movie is really out there.
The title is very out there.
And we were told so much through the process, You cant call it this.
You cant shoot on film.
You dont know what youre doing.
And thats the rebellious nature of where our title came from.
DEADLINE:I love that.
Its cool to see artists who dont compromise when it comes to their vision.
So, Im kind of like, you already perceive me as not a serious person.
And thats good to know.
DEADLINE:I also love that you mentioned John Waters and Gregg Araki as your inspirations.
Tell me about how they influenced you.
SRIRAM:When I was in middle school, I watchedPolyesterandPecker.
I had no concept of camp, of John Waters.
It was just me at the library, renting a movie because of the VHS cover, basically.
And I was obsessed withPolyesteras a kid.
My brother and I, and my cousin, we all lovedPolyester.
I also lovedBut Im a Cheerleaderin middle school, I rented that movie at Blockbuster.
And so, my mom also rentedA Clockwork Orangewhen I was in middle school.
So, I was like inundated in like fetish, sexy comedies as a middle schooler.
But evenSweet CharityorShowgirls, I loveShowgirls.
As a kid I grew up near Deja Vu, the strip club.
I really wanted to work at Deja Vu as a kid.
Oh my gosh, how awful to be one of the ugly strippers.
But now, I get its a joke.
As a kid, I took it very seriously.
And so I was like, where are all the fun movies?
DEADLINE:The movie is just so beautifully shot.
It feels like anAlice in Wonderlandfever dream.
SRIRAM:We shot on 16mm.
I wanted the film to feel like pre-millennium.
But I really visually wanted it to be like a kaleidoscope of beautiful images.
They have this very similar look.
DEADLINE:Tell me about assembling this talented queer ensemble.
SRIRAM:So, I didnt actually realize how gay I was making my movie.
Francois and I did the short film, so he was coming on board.
Im kind of sick of them being in the lead of movies.
But actually, what their character is is just a person in a story.
Sadie [Scott] auditioned, and I had seen them in a play many years ago.
And they wrote to me, and they were like, I really love this part.
kindly give me this part.
And I know what its like to be an actor, a struggling actor.
and to discover someone.
And so, I basically cast Sadie, and then, they were like, I bind my chest.
And I was like, Awesome!
you’ve got the option to do that.
We shaved their head, we gave them mullet.
Because they were usually femme-presenting or a female character.
Because they end up sort of being this like baby lamb.
Theyre like this pure soul character.
Brandon and Sadie have an intimate scene together, and its kind of the most Gen Z.
And then, Big Freedia was our hopes and dreams person.
Freedia plays a psychic and shes hilarious.
And she was just amazing, no complaints, just the most lovely human.
Go have fun in New York.
So, I think it wasnt intentional.
DEADLINE:What would you say about the importance ofLGBTQrepresentation in media right now?
SRIRAM:I think that these stories need to be told by the people that experience these things.
When it comes to sex work, thats one big thing.
If youre gonna make a movie about female sex workers, it needs to be told by women.
But I think that this country is slipping into really scary, really dangerous territory.
But then as artists, we have to support each other.
We have to go see each others films.
We have to go and spread the word.
I feel like its life or death.
Thats actually how I feel.
I feel like, right now were moving towards a life or death scenario in America.
And If theyre coming for trans people, theyre coming for gay people, theyre coming for brown people.
Were all on the hit list.
So, this is the time when we have to hold together and be strong.
Its scary, the fact that people like Hunter Schafer, her passport is no longer female.
The same thing happened to Sadie.
Sadie was flying down here and theyre like, My passport is no longer my gender.
Whats going to happen?
I dont know how to get to the heart of people on the other side of the aisle.
But I dont know, its a really Its a pretty scary time.
