Passing

 

Passing. Directed by Rebecca Hall, performances by Tessa Thompson and Ruth Negga, Significant Productions, 2021. 

Clare makes eye contact with Irene in the Drayton tearoom.

Irene looks out from under the brim of her hat.

Passing asks the viewer to consider the question of where identity comes from and who can claim it. This film suggests that race is socially constructed and is not only dependent on physical appearance but cultural signifiers such as speech patterns. The filmmakers use visual cues like set design, costuming and lighting to demonstrate characters’ belonging in certain settings. Dialogue also plays a significant role in differentiating between groups, both in what the characters say to each other and how they say it. This film invites the viewer into Irene’s world as she questions everything she thinks she knows and realizes that nothing is black and white. 

Discussion Questions:

1. What do you make of the filmmakers' decision to film in black and white?

2. From the trailer, what kind of audience do you think the filmmakers are trying to attract?