Elliot Page, the Canadian actor formerly known as Ellen Page, attended the Toronto International Film Festival to celebrate the release of Close to You and Page’s first role as a “leading man.”
The film tells the story of Sam, a transgender man, coming home after a battle with depression and a family wrestling with his transition, according to a report.
PENCE TESTS APPETITE FOR OLD-SCHOOL CONSERVATISM IN TRUMP-ERA POPULIST GOP
Dominic Savage, the film’s director, said the project was rooted in the experiences of Page’s life.
“This film was made with Elliot, for Elliot, and because of Elliot,” Savage said before Sunday’s premiere.
Page, a biological female who identifies as male, attended TIFF as one of the few Hollywood types to go amid the strikes carried out by the Writers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.
Close to You is an independent film, which qualifies Page to attend TIFF via an interim agreement with SAG-AFTRA, even though the union remains on strike.
When Page took the stage, the star was met with cheers and applause.
It was “one of the most incredible experiences of my career,” Page said.
In the film, Sam faces misgendering, isolation, and bigotry from the family, but a reconnection with the character’s high school crush, Katherine, brings joy and love, the report noted.
The relationship between Sam and Katherine drew Page to the project, according to the actor.
“When [Savage] first talked about this idea, it was mostly about meeting someone from your past — that was the initial spark that interested us,” Page said.
“And then, it turned into going home to the family. That journey and the complexities and the nuanced elements of those relationships with family were all things that ended up being a big part of the story.”
The actor also shared experiences similar to those Sam faces in the film.
“If someone misgenders me, I don’t take it personally,” Page said. “When someone does go to apologize, it’s great.”
“But let’s move on to the next moment in our interaction. Let’s move on before it turns into a bigger thing and becomes about the person who did the misgendering and turns into this whole other energy. These things take a second. It’s all good.”
The film shows Page’s first “love-making” scene since transitioning.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
“Shooting on the day, I was getting out of bed and getting dressed, it was sort of clumsy, like, ‘Oh, it would be great, he sleeps shirtless,'” Page said.
“It just felt natural. Showing this dude who’s comfortable and present and waking up in his body, that means a lot to me. I never thought I’d feel that way, so it’s nice to get to act it.”
