☛ Cette critique est aussi disponible en français [➦].

Translated by Gabrielle Baillargeon-Michaud. 

In 1993, Cameron Post, portrayed by Chloë Grace Moretz, experiences an enchanting prom night with her partner. The evening unfolds without incident until they are discovered engaging in a passionate kiss in the backseat of a car. This moment of intimacy precipitates Cameron’s immediate relocation by her parents to a religious boarding school, where she is subjected to conversion therapy. Throughout The Miseducation of Cameron Post, directed by Desiree Akhavan, Cameron meets fellow residents who become allies, enabling her to confront and navigate the homophobia and trauma inherent to their shared experience. The film is a deft and humorous commentary on a serious, relevant issue.

Desiree Akhavan, born in New York and of Iranian heritage, is openly bisexual and a passionate advocate for LGBTQIA2+ rights. Her creative oeuvre prominently features female-centric narratives, particularly emphasizing the lived experiences of queer individuals, their sexuality, and feminist themes¹. Cecilia Frugiuele, an Italian producer and screenwriter working in the United Kingdom, has collaborated with Akhavan on Appropriate Behavior (2014) and The Bisexual (2018). The 2018 release of The Miseducation of Cameron Post in the United States underscores the ongoing, critical necessity of queer activism².

The Miseducation of Cameron Post presents a contemporary perspective on conversion therapy, weaving a rich narrative of love, resilience, courage, and suffering. This film distinguishes itself as an honest and uplifting work and a deep exploration of Cameron’s character, spotlighting her inherent strength and resilience and her fight for self-preservation, identity, and the liberty to love freely. At its core, it is a narrative of survival.

Narrated with both heartfelt earnestness and audacity, the film tackles complex subjects such as homophobia and mental health with grace. It sensitively portrays characters who navigate the intersections of various forms of oppression, such as Jane, a queer, racialized young woman, and Forrest, a two-spirit indigenous young man. The film unflinchingly portrays the blatant homophobia faced by its characters, capturing its brutality and illogical nature with stark clarity.

Entertaining yet incisive, The Miseducation of Cameron Post provides audiences with invaluable insights into the lives of LGBTQIA2+ individuals. The film addresses themes of persecution, brutality, intersectionality of oppressions, and mental health within an engaging, accessible framework, thereby enhancing its activism.

¹ https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/aug/12/desiree-akhavan-miseducation-of-cameron-post-mainstream-queer-female-stories
² https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Miseducation_of_Cameron_Post_(film)

Reference:

Director/Creator: Desiree Akhavan
Title: The Miseducation of Cameron Post
Release date: 2018

This movie is available on Amazon Prime and Apple TV.