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Sparkle and Shine
A film by Rhonda Buckley
Avery's family is raised by a single mother, Ruth, who works hard as a nurse and focuses on her daughters not becoming pregnant. Ruth's pragmatic and demanding nature makes her insufferable to her daughters. Their father left them to go work out west but never returned. Avery, a young girl grows up to be a man, endures bullying from his four older sisters, and is called "pudge" after their father abandons them. Despite his family's superficial support for his trans identity, Avery must navigate a toxic family dynamic.
Avery realizes she is a boy. Finding reprieve in the forest, she dreams of a different life. In dance class, Avery connects with Raoul, a confident boy keen on becoming a dancer. Raoul helps Avery endure school and family struggles, sharing a bond of survival in their small town. With the support of his childhood friend Raoul, Avery embarks on a journey of self-discovery to become her true self.
In school they are meant to take ballet class in the gym, and Avery must wear bodysuit and tights among other ‘little girl’ rituals, own a fluorescent pink bedroom and wear berets, Avery discovers she doesn’t want to be a girl, at all. She feels like and is a boy, she is he. While in a dance class, she looks to a boy Raoul and envisions his beautiful body transposed over his. Raoul stands with perfect posture and is confident and keen to become a dancer, he is different than the other boys.
As Avery gets older, with Raoul’s and his mother’s support, he transitions into his true self and attends design school in Toronto on a scholarship. He falls in love with a successful businessman, David, and is genuinely happy. After a chance encounter with his estranged father at Goodman’s pub Avery sees his father as who he truly is— a man who walked away out of fear and Avery lets him leave without knowing he is own father. Avery knows he could only be the man he always wanted to because his dad walked out.
In Toronto, Avery (23) and David (30) meet Raoul (23) while at a theatre afterparty, and Avery shares with David how much Raoul’s support meant to him at such a crucial time back home when he was young. He did, in fact, save his life. Avery needs Raoul’s friendship in his life now, as well, he tells David.
David is surprised to learn that loving and living with Avery also means his family will be involved, as David is estranged from his own family. David loves Avery’s Mom, Ruth, but he cuts off Avery’s sisters from their home who have been torturous to Avery over the years. After a sudden trip home, the sister’s Jill (28) and Sue (29), are in a car accident, and Jill is killed without having made amends with Avery.
Avery returns home to attend the funeral, and after the service Raoul and Avery walk through their same neighorhood where they grew up. Avery is a man, and many do not know who he was before. Raoul, openly gay, is also dressed in drag as an eloquent woman. They walk through their community together, past shops and storekeepers. As Avery walks up to his home and goes in to see his family he says, “I’m home”. He knows he has survived his small-town life. He knows now how to be home on his own terms.
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