House of Gloss is the queer slice of life documentary that the big screen needed. The 78-minute film captures the intimate and honest lives of Lana and Opal, a queer trans-femme couple living in Dundee. Daily routines of graffiti artist Lana and drag queen Opal are showcased around Dundee, including their Gloss “queer nightclub experience” shows at King’s Dundee.
The pair opened a door for audiences to see the most vulnerable and raw parts of their lives across a two-year-long shoot while watching themselves grow at the same time.
Harmonising with the duo, the sound, visuals, editing, and shots of the documentary ooze an artsy feeling, colliding together to craft a world belonging to Opal and Lana.
A film “that showed trans folk simply existing”
Director Mark Lyken gave a short speech before the showing of House of Gloss.
“This is the first time that we’ve watched the film in a cinema, so it’s great to be able to share it with you. The film grew out of a short film commission that Lana and I did for LUX Scotland and BBC Arts called ‘Waiting for the Buff to Rub Me Out’,” Mark began.
“Shooting a doc over an extended period of time when you’re collaborating with folk whose hair colour and appearance changes every time you meet up with them is pretty challenging,” Mark laughed along with Opal and Lana. The frequent changes resulted in some quick wig purchased and fast hair dyeing sessions so that the footage matched up.
“In conversations with Lana she talked about the demonisation of trans folk in cinema and the media which has gotten significantly worse in recent times, and how our film should offer a counter narrative to that. We wanted to make a non-sensationalised film that showed trans folk simply existing, making pasta and eating blocks of cheese like everyone else,” he said.
Mark thanked Creative Scotland for supporting the film and CSDF for supporting his work. Of course, he also gave thanks to Lana, Opal, their friends, and the crew.
A window into the lives of Opal and Lana
House of Gloss invites you in with scenes so close you feel like you’re laughing alongside the duo. Often, the audience audibly giggled and chuckled at the screen. Personally, my face ached when I left the screening from being frozen in a permanent smile.
This intimacy is what makes the more serious stuff all the more hard-hitting. It touches on living as a queer person with autism, family acceptance, issues with the NHS and how they deal with trans folk, and the importance of safe spaces.
“The film feels like more of a document of an important moment in their lives than we anticipated when we started shooting a couple of years ago,” Mark said.
After the credits rolled, House of Gloss received applause from the audience as well as comments of congratulations.
“I was very judgmental of myself”
Catching up with Opal and Lana after the screening, Brig grabbed a quick word with them.
“The first time I watched the film I felt really sad and I cried the whole time. I felt sad about this period of time that we’d kind of deemed as a golden era for our lives. I look back at it now and think ‘you have absolutely no idea of anything that’s going to happen in the next three years’”, Opal said, speaking to her on-screen self.
Both are in completely different places of their lives now. And, both have taken away positive messages from the documentary and instilled them in their lives.
“It made me wish I was more present during happy periods of my life rather than taking them for granted,” Opal concludes.
Thinking about how she felt watching her past self, Lana wished that she had been kinder to herself. “Looking back, I could see that I was very judgmental of myself,” she said.
House of Gloss premiered at Macrobert Arts Centre on November 3 as part of CSDF.
Featured Image Credit: Macrobert Arts Centre/ House of Gloss
Fourth year student journalist studying Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Journalism Studies.
Words at Brig, The Daily Evergreen, Alloa Advertiser, Discovery Music Scotland, and The Mourning Paper.
