On 27 June 2015, Absolut will premiere Roxanne, a short film created by award-winning writer and Director Paul Frankl. Roxanne follows the story of a transgender sex worker, played by Miss Cairo, living and working in Soho London, who meets the motherless 12 year-old named Lily. Roxanne was created using 35mm film and was shot on location in Soho, London.

Frankl often presents ethically driven stories within his films, with the aim of raising the visibility of marginalised groups. Frankl wrote and directed Roxanne with the objective of exploring the universal themes of difference, self-acceptance and friendship, which everyone can relate to whether part of the LGBT community or not.

Absolut became involved with the project when Frankl reached out to the brand via Twitter while raising funds for the film on Kickstarter. As an active supporter of the LGBT community, freedom of expression, and artists of across all media for over 30 years, Absolut agreed to help provide the remaining funds needed to fund the artists’ vision. Absolut is proud to be part of this project that is bringing attention the transgender community, which is often forced into the shadows of society.

The 35mm film used to produce Roxanne creates a strong contrast between light and dark, which highlights the duality of Roxanne’s personality. Roxanne lives in two worlds: the night, where she picks up clients in clubs, and the day, where she lives in a world of isolation and calm control. The visual contrast also highlights her feelings for Lily juxtaposed against the exterior persona she presents on the Soho club scene. The character Lily represents youth, innocence and self-acceptance. The child accepts Roxanne without questions and aims to inspire hope. An additional theme explored within the film is the depiction of transgender people as sex workers, something that is often sensationalised within the media.

“Roxanne was an important project for me because I wanted to feature someone of fluid gender, without being defined by their sex. I feel this is an important step in the journey to a more accepting and holistic view of gender and identity”, said Paul Frankl, Director, Roxanne

The premiere also marks the launch of the limited edition Absolut Colors bottle, which showcases the brand’s ongoing support for people who express their true selves through art, love or any other way, regardless of who or where they are.

For additional information visit: http://paulfrankl.com/Short-Film/ROXANNE