JANE M. WAGNER | USA | 2023 | 73 MIN | ENGLISH
A prolific trans video game streamer grapples with universal questions of identity and connection, all while sharing her life with thousands of (occasionally toxic) viewers in this eye-opening, poignant doc. Narcissa Wright is one of the world’s fastest Legend of Zelda players. She’s also a trans woman, a fact that makes her a frequent target of hate from users of Twitch, the platform on which strangers follow along with her every move as she broadcasts alone from her apartment. When Narcissa strikes up a tentative romance with another streamer, the sudden presence of a real person upends Narcissa’s worldview, forcing her to decide between life as a digital warrior and something more tangible IRL. Director Jane M. Wagner collaborated with Narcissa over six years, using hundreds of hours of footage to create a uniquely insightful portrait. Break the Game provides a revealing and sometimes troubling look at the place occupied by queer people in the vast world of gaming, as well as a touching examination of the ways our online identities can shield us from discovering who we really are.
All sales are final. Admission is not guaranteed after scheduled start time.
CLICK HERE to return to the complete 32nd Philadelphia Film Festival schedule.