Film: Orlando
Director: Sally Potter
Country: UK
Released: September 1992
Runtime: 93 minutes
Genre: Fantasy
Studio: Adventure Pictures
Influenced: Neil Jordan, Todd Haynes, Tom Tykwer, Luca Guadagnino, Julie Taymor
Based on Virginia Woolf's groundbreaking 1928 novel of the same name, Orlando blends elements of fantasy, drama and historical fiction to explore themes of gender identity, time and the fluidity of human experience. The film begins in the late 16th century when Orlando is a young man serving as a page to Queen Elizabeth I. After an unexpected romantic entanglement with a Russian princess, Orlando falls into a deep sleep and awakens as a woman. The film then takes us through different historical eras, including the 18th and 19th centuries, the Victorian era and the 20th century, during which Orlando remains ageless and witnesses the changing roles and expectations of women in society. While the story is fictional, it is inspired by the life of Vita Sackville-West, a prominent English writer and poet who had a famous affair with Virginia Woolf.
Another famous figure that inspired the film is Derek Jarman, who became friends with Sally Potter when they met in the mid-80s as part of a delegation of independent filmmakers visiting Russia. During the developmental stage of the movie, when Potter was struggling with the producers to get the film financed, Jarman was a vocal advocate for the project, which had long been in the pipeline. Potter first encountered Woolf's novel in her early twenties, but it took her more than a decade to secure the necessary funding and support to bring the project to the screen. Indirectly too, Jarman's influence can be seen in the way that Potter reimagined the period drama for a new era, indebted to Jarman's films such as Caravaggio (1986) and Edward II (1991).
Potter also recruited several Jarman collaborators, most notably Tilda Swinton (who plays the lead role), and the costume designer Sandy Powell. Orlando was a breakthrough role for Swinton, her androgynous appearance and captivating performance earning her critical acclaim and established her as a versatile actor in the industry. At a time when discussions of gender were not as prevalent in the mainstream media, Orlando challenged social norms by depicting a character who transitions with ease between male and female genders. On top of that, the film's ability to seamlessly transition between different historical periods is one of the film's greatest achievements, with Potter using minimalistic set designs and costume changes to evoke each era, adding to the visually striking and immersive feel of the movie.
Orlando garnered widespread critical acclaim, winning the Gold Hugo for Best Feature Film at the Chicago International Film Festival in 1992, Best Actress (for Swinton) at the Venice Film Festival in 1992 and nominations for two Oscars, including Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design. One of Potter's many innovations in the film was the way that Orlando occasionally breaks the fourth wall, addressing the audience directly with her thoughts. This technique adds an element of self-awareness and commentary on the nature of storytelling itself. Such was Orlando's impact that its influence can still be felt today, in movies that tackle similar themes around gender such as Boys Don't Cry (1999) and The Danish Girl (2015), as well as period dramas that have a modern relevance, such as The Favourite (2018) and Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019).
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