Before The Party – An Honest, Heartfelt Expository On Bisexuality

Ep Cho’s Before The Party feels personal. The characters seem etched out from real and the dialogues between them expounds it further. At 14:16-minutes, Cho successfully manages to address a complex subject, while striking the necessary balance between sensitivity and the harsh reality that is undeniable in the world of bisexuality.

An often misunderstood gender identity, amongst others, bisexuality is accepted only with a feigned assurance. There’s marked ostracisation, even amongst the community members, as it’s often seen with derision or suspicion. To address all of this and more, the short blends comedy with drama, and presents a snippet of Jay’s (Ep Cho) life, wherein his coming out to his girlfriend Julie (Chantal Casult) ends disastrously for them both.

The film opens to the chatty duo Jesse (Cameron Reid) and Nancy (Cynthia Aileen Strahan) as they set the scene for the party. Both Reid and Strahan are effortlessly good in their portrayals; there’s an easy chemistry between the two that translates into healthy banter that lands at the right place for Jay. For it sets to aid the narrative in its way forward. When Julie unexpectedly hears their conversation, the misunderstandings only spiral further leading to an interesting turnaround for the film. Enter Alex (Bailey Pilbeam) and Sage (Nicky Endres), the other attendees to the party who thereafter add layers to the characters in a seamless way.

What sets Before The Party apart is its writing. For a film of such short duration, it manages to pack in a lot–humour, drama, philosophy. While it won’t be wrong to call it a manual for the self-healers, it’s certainly educational for those unfamiliar with the turf. Cho manages to balance the direction and acting. He is sincere in his endeavour, the thought reflecting behind each glance, each dialogue. To give credit where it’s due, the screenplay is truly engaging. That, along with Cali Wang’s composition and Nathaniel Pope’s editing, the viewing is truly pleasurable and thankfully not too heavy on the mind. That is not to say that the film doesn’t leave you with enough meat to chew on. It certainly does.

Cho adds graphics and animation to break the monotony of the screenplay. From individuals simply talking to one another, the animation gives a peekaboo into the minds of the characters. It brings an interesting perspective, as the usual cinematography that we have gotten used to is replaced with a monologue as the characters delve deeper into their own life stories. Silvia Lara’s cinematography adds layers to the storyline, as we see all the characters entwine into a cornucopia of memories, thoughts and opinions. What could have further enhanced the narration would have been increasing the timeline and pacing. Films such as these deserve to be experienced slowly. The ebb and flow of the character’s pain needs to be experienced vicariously through the narration. That having said, there’s no denying that Cho is talented. Not only does he bring forth a subject as complex as this, but manages to mix the genre with animation and comedy, without making it a skit. Each character adds to the story, including Jay’s sister Mal (Michelle Park) whose rant on the video call becomes a pivotal point to the story.

Be it Endres, Strahan, Pilbeam, Casult or even Park, the ensemble makes Before The Party rich, warm and endearing to the hearts. The performances are earnest, the dialogue delivery efficient making the conversations easy going and engaging. The film is a must watch for those keen on having a peek into the minds of those that challenge the heteronormative societal norms. Before The Party is personal, visceral and philosophical. It’s an insight offered into the life and mind of Jay, whose journey of self discovery and acceptance is honest and moving and perhaps a great way for many others to confront their own understandings of life choices.