In writer-director Georgia Oakley’s stunning directorial debut Blue Jean, it’s 1988 England and Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative government is about to pass Section 28, a law stigmatizing gays and lesbians. Rosy McEwen delivers a powerhouse performance as Jean, a closeted gym teacher who finds sanctuary in the sisterhood of the Newcastle queer club scene, until a new student, Lois, discovers her secret and threatens the already tenuous stability of her double life. As pressure mounts from all sides, the arrival of Lois catalyzes a crisis that will challenge Jean to her core. The BAFTA-nominated film won the Venice Film Festival’s People’s Choice Award, as well as four British Independent Film Awards (including Best Lead Performance and Best Debut Screenwriter).
