“Now the Demands Are a Little Different”: Russian Viewers’ Perception of Queer Characters in Cinema

Abstract

The article investigates how young Russian viewers perceive nonheterosexual characters in movies and on television. We explore the following question: Which aspects of queer character representation are emphasized by young Russian viewers with both heterosexual and queer identities in the context of their own sexual experiences and the political context in which they reside? Using qualitative research methods, including semistructured interviews with 14 young individuals from Moscow, the study examines the relationship between viewers’ personal experiences and their interpretation of queer characters in movies and TV shows. We are interested in how viewers decode narratives about nonheterosexual characters in movies. Based on the concepts of heteronormativity and homonormativity, we identify two types of representation, which, however, are not universal. In different geographical and social contexts, these categories can be transformed and reflect different relationships between the political context and the experiences of the groups being represented. Heterosexual viewers critically address heteronormative images that imply the subordination of queer characters, but are less critical of homonormative representation. In contrast, queer viewers criticize both types of representation, identifying discrepancies between film narratives and the reality of their lives. They express a desire for more authentic and diverse representations that move beyond common tropes of tragedy and otherness. Additionally, the study notes limitations of Western theoretical frameworks when applied to the Russian context. For instance, elements of homonormative representation marked as depoliticizing in the American context become politically charged in Russia.

Article in Russian