The film “Unicorns” is breaking barriers and shedding light on the underground LGBTQ+ subculture with its cross-cultural love story between a white, heterosexual mechanic and a South Asian Muslim drag queen. Co-directed by Sally El Hosaini and James Krishna Floyd, the film delves into the secretive “gaysian” scene, where drag queens face ostracism and rejection from various communities.
Floyd, who also wrote the screenplay, wanted to explore fluid identities and challenge mainstream culture’s tendency to put people in neat boxes. The film’s inspiration came from real-life experiences of South Asian drag queens, including Asifa Lahore, the UK’s first Muslim drag queen.
The story follows the romance between mechanic Luke (played by Ben Hardy) and drag queen Aysha (played by Jason Patel) as they navigate their feelings in a world filled with challenges and prejudices. Many of the supporting cast are real-life South Asian drag queens, adding authenticity to the film’s portrayal of the community.
El Hosaini and Floyd, who are partners in real life, collaborated on “Unicorns” as a passion project that aims to give a voice to marginalized communities. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and is now showing in UK and Irish cinemas, offering a fresh perspective on love, identity, and acceptance.
