When Visibility Becomes Its Own Power

Read Time:5 Minute, 3 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
The Art of Being Seen
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Genre: Documentary
Year Released: 2025
Runtime: 20m
Director(s): Martine Remi
Where to Watch: shown at the 2025 Art Is Alive Film Festival

RAVING REVIEW: What does a documentary that tells the story of a moment in time mean? THE ART OF BEING SEEN rather than tackling the entire landscape of LGBTQIA2S+ representation in theater, it concentrates on a single performer navigating one community, one campus, one set of creative spaces. That focus gives the film its strength. It becomes personal instead of conceptual, driven by experience rather than abstract commentary.

Cal Russell, a trans actor working within UConn’s Page to Stage theater group, anchors the documentary. The film observes his performances, rehearsals, conversations, and reflections as he moves through different productions — including a trans-written original piece and Spring Awakening. Through these glimpses, the documentary shapes a portrait of someone stepping fully into themselves while simultaneously working to claim their own space. Rather than presenting this process as a struggle defined only by obstacles, THE ART OF BEING SEEN prioritizes moments of joy, community, and celebration. That approach distinguishes it from many student documentaries on LGBTQIA2S+ subjects, which often lean heavily on hardship. Here, the emotional balance is healthier, more affirming, and more representative of real lives, not just challenges.

Director Martine Remi structures the documentary around Cal’s presence and voice, not as a symbol, but as a person. That choice makes the film feel personal. Instead of speaking for him or framing his journey through an outsider’s lens, Remi lets the story unfold organically. Their direction embraces the idea that identity is something shaped over years, not moments, and that the theater becomes a place where that development is both witnessed and nurtured. The film captures the creative environment that surrounds Cal: the stage, rehearsal rooms, early-career performers collaborating out of passion more than prestige, and the sense of belonging that forms within those circles.

Because the film is only twenty minutes, Remi must make selective choices about which parts of Cal’s story to highlight. This is where the documentary’s strengths show. Rather than overwhelming viewers with exposition, it relies on Cal’s lived experiences and the directness of his comments to give the narrative shape. The decisions feel intentional: the moments of performance, the interactions with casting teams, the discussion of identity onstage versus off, the acknowledgement of political realities, and the exploration of why representation in theater matters. The emphasis stays on the fulfillment he finds within the craft and the connections he builds through it.

What sets the film apart is its commitment to highlighting trans and queer joy. In a climate where LGBTQIA2S+ communities face real hostility, Remi refuses to let fear define the story. Political pressures are recognized — they’re impossible to ignore — but they do not dictate the film’s emotional direction. Instead, the documentary focuses on the resilience, creativity, community, and strength that thrive despite those pressures. That decision results in a piece that feels more forward-looking than reactive. It doesn’t deny the reality of discrimination, but it also doesn’t allow that reality to eclipse the worth of the people living through it.

This is also a film shaped by a director connected to the material. Remi’s biography and director’s statement make the personal context clear: they have spent eight years in theater, experienced their own coming-out process within those spaces, and understand the unique relationship between gender identity and performance. This lived experience informs the direction in subtle ways. It’s visible in the patience shown toward Cal’s reflections, the care in framing him as a full person rather than a narrative, and the decision to center his agency. Remi knows what it means to be visible, to be misinterpreted, to be affirmed, and to be supported. That knowledge shapes the film, giving it authenticity that student documentaries often lack.

Within its chosen scope, the film succeeds. It is warm, honest, and thoroughly committed to its message. It amplifies the voice of one trans actor while celebrating the broader LGBTQIA2S+ community and its creative resilience. It stands as a reminder that visibility in the arts isn’t just about representation — it’s about creating an environment where people can become themselves without having to shrink their identities for comfort or acceptance.

THE ART OF BEING SEEN ends up being exactly what its title suggests: a story about presence, recognition, and the power of seeing oneself reflected in the work you love. It’s a thoughtful, well-crafted student documentary with professional-level clarity, offering viewers a meaningful glimpse into the intersection of identity and artistry. Remi has an emerging voice worth watching, and Cal Russell’s story is given the space and respect it deserves.

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