Skin Deep (1995 film)

Skin Deep is a film by Canadian filmmaker Midi Onodera.

Plot

Skin Deep tells the story of an award winning director, Alex Koyama (Natsuko Ohama), who is in the process of making a film about the tattoo industry, and the love and obsession that can arise in the "skin art" culture. Conflict develops between Koyama and her lesbian lover / assistant, Montana (Melanie Nicholls-King) when Koyama hires a new production assistant, Chris (Keram Malicki-Sánchez), who is transgender and quickly becomes obsessed with Koyama.^[1][2]

Themes

Skin Deep explores themes of love, obsession, and identity (both gender identity and sexual orientation identity), using the tattoo as a metaphor for identity change and identity hiding.

Production

Skin Deep was written, directed, and co-produced by Onodera. It was produced in cooperation with the National Film Board of Canada, with funding from

• the Canada Council
• the Ontario Arts Council
• Canadian Heritage: Multiculturalism Program
• National Association of Japanese Canadians
• Racial Equity Fund – OFDC & LIFT
• the Toronto Lesbian & Gay Appeal

Reception

Skin Deep was awarded the Best Feature Film: Audience Award at the 1995 Hamburg International Lesbian & Gay Film Festival.

References

1. ↑ "Skin Deep". National Film Board of Canada. Retrieved 9 June 2009. 
2. ↑ Skin Deep at the Internet Movie Database

External links

• Skin Deep at Midi Onodera's personal website