13/07/2023 - Iiti Yli-Harja takes us along on a risky space mission to the planet of self-expression, exploring the struggles of LGBTQ people in a heavily prejudiced world

Neil Armstrong would never have guessed that, through the eyes of an 18-year-old LGBTQ boy, a moon-landing might seem a far less risky endeavour than going to the supermarket in full make-up. Using Gen-Z slang and queer-culture references, Iiti Yli-Harja’s BLUSH – An Extraordinary Voyage exposes the anxieties of staying true to yourself in an unsafe environment.

We might not need an oxygen mask and a spacesuit to walk the streets, but judgemental stares and scoffing from passers-by can cut deeper than a lightsaber. This 15-minute Finnish film calls for empathy without being preachy and recreates a dilemma which almost every single member of an oppressed minority has experienced – whether to embrace your true colours or try to blend in with a grey, conformist environment.

Fatu and Rai are two best friends flying a futuristic spaceship. Writer-director Yli-Harja interprets the concept of alienation quite literally: the moon might be their final destination, but their believably authentic dialogue reveals that the characters are actually headed to the supermarket. Despite the absence of an action-packed plot, the director succeeds in conveying the vulnerability and isolation of the characters thanks to their unique spacecraft setting.

Eventually, Fatu dares to oppose conformity and show his true self to the world with the support of his friend, finding that social perceptions can sometimes appear far more twisted than they are in reality. However, a positive outcome doesn’t invalidate feelings of isolation. The pressure of fitting in is real so long as it appears so in our own minds. But the divide between masculinity and femininity according to stereotypes is a perceptible problem we can’t disregard.

Although not meticulously executed, the short raises awareness of important social issues. In addition, the use of vibrant colours and whimsical lighting makes up for the film’s choppy animation, its slight imperfections vis-à-vis the set, the puppets’ low mobility and the awkwardly implemented special effects.

Yli-Harja has a background in documentaries, and her original approach to the genre creates the illusion of fiction – it presents itself as a fictional story, but it is actually a documentary. The dialogue is, in fact, a real-life conversation recorded between the filmmaker’s sister and her best friend, but the movie’s sci-fi elements blur the lines between reality and imagination to achieve a greater impact. The result is a true Apollo 11 of a film which rockets its way into viewers’ hearts.