As director, cinematographer and editor, I carried this Goliath-like project through months of filming, hundreds of hours of material culminating in an intricate and complex editing process… a real puzzle. For the last two years, Homogen has allowed me to grow immensely as a documentary filmmaker and at the same time, without realizing it, it has also become the catalyst for a significant change in my life.
During the filming process, many participants asked me why I had decided to embark on this journey to counter homophobia. They would question me about my own sexual orientation and my motivation. I would simply respond that I loved the idea of a straight female directing a gay-themed documentary. I wanted Homogen to be like a breath of fresh air with a nuanced and universal message amongst a massive collection of gay-themed works created by gay people. Despite holding my camera with that objective in mind, at the end of the filming process, I fell in love with my best friend and filmmaking colleague, Jessica. This upheaval in my personal life had a profound impact on the making of Homogen. In the editing room, the images I had filmed and the personal stories I had recorded were resonating within me in a whole new way.
I am very grateful that Homogen’s post-production process benefitted from Jessica Desjardins’ precious experience with regard to sound recording, editing and mixing. The project would not have been the same without her technical and creative contribution. In fact, I would like to take this opportunity to thank my dedicated co-producer, Kim Alex Larochelle, who chose me to carry and deliver this beautiful message of hope, equality and justice. My team and I would also like to thank everyone near and far who helped make this ambitious project come to life, as it is important for the present and future of young people seeking role-models, for their loved ones who need more resources to help support them and for the schools and institutions who need guidance to help society grow into a more inclusive and nuanced environment. Most importantly, we truly hope Homogen can help extinguish the last embers of homophobia in the hearts of certain individuals.
I am very proud to share this story, while indirectly my story, with the public. I hope that every image, every word, will touch and inspire you, just as it did for me.
Isabelle Courville