In the opening scenes of erotic thriller FEMME, Jules is the target of an orchestrated homophobic attack in an East London off-licence store, a harrowing moment that leaves Jules bloody and traumatised. Months later, no longer dressed as his glam drag alter ego, Aphrodite, Jules encounters his attacker, Preston, at a gay sauna. Suddenly, Sam H. Freeman and Ng Choon Ping’s gripping feature debut transforms into a queer revenge psychodrama, as Jules and Preston wrestle with sexuality, trauma and desire.
Based on their 2021 short film of the same name, is “a revenge story about reclaiming agency”, co-director Freeman says. When I sat down with London-based co-directors Sam H. Freeman and Ng Choon Ping in late December of 2023, they were still reeling from their wins at the British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) has toured to film festivals across the globe, garnering praise for its ability to subvert gender and portray queer characters in positions of power.
