Reed Birney: 'It was foolish not to expect Blue Film backlash'

"As soon as you say paedophile, everybody has such a strong and undeniable reaction to it. I don't think I thought that it was gonna be as controversial as it was, which is kind of foolish in retrospect."

"The film came from director Elliot Tuttle journaling about his younger self fantasising about the male teachers that he had around then and trying to think more honestly about his adolescent sexuality."

"That made a huge difference in how I approached it. They were regular folks with their own stories, and it helped me to see the humanity in the characters."

The film follows Aaron Eagle, a camboy, who discovers that his client, Hank Grant, is his former middle school teacher accused of sexual assault. The narrative delves into their complex past and Hank's hidden feelings for Aaron. Reed Birney acknowledged the film's controversial nature, stating it was foolish not to expect backlash. Despite its artistic intentions, the film faced distribution challenges and audience walkouts at screenings, reflecting societal discomfort with its themes. Director Elliot Tuttle drew inspiration from personal experiences and the documentary Pervert Park to approach the subject matter.

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