On May 4, Third Mind Books in Ann Arbor will host an event for the film preview and discussion for the upcoming release of “Unlocking Desire,” a film imagining Tennessee Williams‘ iconic protagonist, Blanche DuBois, following the events of “A Streetcar Named Desire.”
While the film itself follows our heroine within an institution, this drama, mystery LGBTQ+ tale follows a woman who is the supposed DuBois in a modern-day setting as she meets new friends who take on caricatures from other members of the “Streetcar Named Desire” play.
The event will be led by Barbara Neri, creator and playwright of the award-winning play that premiered in Detroit. According to Neri, the film is currently in development but has already been filmed in New Orleans, Detroit, and Ann Arbor.
“Unlocking Desire” was the first play I produced in Detroit in 2011. I will talk about the research that led to the shape and scope of the story,” Neri said. “I am proud to have contributed to the understanding of (Tennessee Williams) work. The audience will see the trailer and the two scenes we have already shot. They will hear the new recorded version of ‘Heavenly Grass.’ An actor will read key verses from a work-in-progress poem by Tennessee Williams that I discovered while researching in the Williams Research Center.”
According to Neri, while the overall theme follows DuBois, a character that originated in the late 1940s, the key components of the story tackle the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which Neri says alludes to the story’s true timeline.
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“(Hurricane) Katrina hit New Orleans, and that changed everything again for me because I noticed there were comments about New Orleans getting what it deserves, almost like it was Sodom and Gomorrah,” Neri said. “This immoral place. And I thought, that is Blanche. Blanche is New Orleans. There was a connection there, and it changed the plot as to who this woman was.”
“Unlocking Desire” follows Blanche’s experience at the institution when she meets a character named Raoul, whom she believes is her former husband, Allan, from the original “Streetcar Named Desire.” Neri says the film tackles themes of love, identity and cultural representation, focusing on LGBTQ+ issues.
“At the core of “Unlocking Desire” is this tragic circumstance of a woman who thinks she’s DuBois. What I’m pointing to is their dialogue deals with the beliefs and cultural circumstances that are still in play today, and by going and revisiting the past, I believe that we can unlock the future,” Neri said. “I think that while we are telling many great stories, many wonderful love stories for the LGBTQIA community. It’s important to look to the originals, to the tragic stories. And why are those circumstances that they were about still here today?”
For those attending on May 4, Neri says the event will be a “deep dive into the project, focusing on the who, what, and why.” She will also discuss research that led to its production.
“I will also show newly digitized behind-the-scenes photos taken on Elia Kazan’s film set as he created the film version of “A Streetcar Named Desire,” Neri said. “When I first saw the photos, they made such an impact on me. The experience inspired a key plot point in ‘Unlocking Desire.’”
The preview and discussion for “Unlocking Desire” takes place at Third Mind Books located at 118 E Washington St, in Ann Arbor from 3-5pm. For more information, you can contact Third Mind Books at (734) 994-324.
“Ann Arbor and its surrounding communities are so full of wonderful artists, readers, scholars, thinkers writers who probably know who Blanche DuBois and her creator Tennessee Williams are,” Neri said. “Truthfully, people don’t need to know anything. I will fill them in! And ultimately, “Unlocking Desire” is a wholly original work with a new purpose.”
Antonio Cooper is a freelance journalist from Detroit, Michigan. His coverage of music festivals and interviews with local celebrities appeared in The E-Current Magazine, The Detroit Metro Times, XXL Magazine, RichMagDigital, The Ann Arbor Observer, and Pop Magazine.
