One Elle of a premiere
THE new Whitby had a new screening. Elle Fanning, Naomi Watts, Susan Sarandon in “3 Generations.” Elle plays the daughter, Naomi’s the mama, Susan’s grandma. Andrew Saffir’s Cinema Society invited all of society. The hotel was stuffed with Sienna Miller, Domino Kirke, Penn Badgley, Paul Haggis, Julie Taymor, Kelly Rutherford, Celine Rattray, Jennifer
Creel, Will Cotton, plus another 150 bodies and fotogs by the pound.
Only a tweezer could pluck out the trio when, suddenly, all three plunked onto a couch together. So who said what, who knows?
They said: The transgender story’s about a life-changing transformation. Three New York generations living under one roof. Male teenager (Elle) becomes female. Single mom (Naomi) needs the kid’s biological sperminator to OK the sex switch.
To make things more interesting, the grandmother (Susan) is a lesbian. Nothing’s omitted in the film but Cait
lyn’s X-rays. Susan: “I’ve seen so much in life, and am happy this story’s out. I’m pleased to be in it.”
Elle: “My character’s teased in school. Beaten up. He gets a black eye, and a bad guy puts a dead chicken on him.”
Naomi: “It’s a family trying to come to terms with change. Great conversation. We’ve all read the story. A difficult time but, then, my character wants this to happen.” Susan: “Dealing with all questions, it helps you understand the basic painful level of such transition.” Elle: “I didn’t have too much makeup or wigs, but I had layers of costumes. As a boy he wanted to hide his shape. When he transitions he begins with hormones.” Susan said more, but it was to complain about my complaining about her shoes when last we met. She’d matched a stunning blue silk pantsuit with crappy sneakers. Upset, I complained. So this time — dressed great — she complained that I had complained.