What I learned after watching eP Cho’s short film, Before the Party, is that the “B” in LGBTQ+ is the red-headed stepchild of the community. Jay (eP Cho) joins his friends, Jessie and Nancy, in a cabin in the woods just before a highly anticipated party with friends. Jay starts to feel uneasy when the pair begins gossiping about a friend of theirs who came out as bisexual. Nancy questions whether being ‘bi’ is even possible.
The mood shifts abruptly when Jay’s girlfriend, Julie, arrives, sees Jay, and storms off. Jay follows, and a painful argument erupts: Julie is upset that word of Jay’s bisexuality has leaked, and she accuses Jay of using her as a cover-up for being gay. Julie immediately breaks up with Jay, leaving him devastated.
Jay wanders into a forest, grappling with the cultural and societal pressures of being bisexual, particularly as an Asian American from a conservative family. Alex arrives at the party with his partner, Nancy. Needing some fresh air, Alex finds Jay in this vulnerable moment. He reaches out to him, confessing that he, too, is bisexual.
“Julie is upset that word of Jay’s bisexuality has leaked, and she accuses Jay of using her as a cover-up for being gay.”
Though I am not a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I am fully aware of the plight of bisexual individuals, who feel as if they are the least valued and understood members of the community. eP Cho’s Before the Party brings a great deal of context to the situation. It’s not that they are victims or oppressed, but even allies question whether being bi is just a way of avoiding admitting that you’re gay.
Even in film, bisexual stories are rare and often portray characters in a discriminatory way in how characters are treated. Filmmaker Cho just lays it all out there. In the end, Before the Party emphasizes that “being bi is a journey,” offering a note of optimism before undertaking a raw exploration of sexual identity and misunderstanding.
As a film, Before the Party features a heartfelt story from eP Cho, who has poured his heart into his story. The cast he assembled represents each color of the LGBTQ+ rainbow, all giving authentic performances. One would assume that Before the Party is not just a labor of love from Cho, but as the ending shows, a real party of friends.
"…Even in film, bisexual stories are rare and often portray characters in a discriminatory way."
