Breakfast on Pluto: Crisis of Identity Against the Backdrop of Conflict and the Search for Love

Author: Vusala Hajiyeva

Contemporary world cinema has frequently addressed the topic of transgender issues over the last 20-30 years. Among these films, there are quite a few successful works. However, a problematic aspect is that many of these films are not directed by transgender directors but usually by cis-heterosexual male directors. Yet, among these films, there are examples that do not merely present the topic in a superficial manner to spark viewer interest but also show us the emotional world of the characters and try to highlight the problems faced by transgender people. One such film is "Breakfast on Pluto" by Irish director Neil Jordan.

Escape from Gender Norms

The main character of the film is a trans person named Kitten. Born out of wedlock, this fact was not the only factor that made her childhood difficult. She also faces long-term issues due to her gender expression and strives to be free from social norms, not just during a phase of her life but almost throughout the entire period depicted in the film, forced into a relentless fight because she does not conform to the rules and norms dictated by society. Kitten leaves her homeland and sets out on a journey to continue her search elsewhere. However, this journey does not assure her that she will be accepted everywhere. The character constantly lives in fear of acceptance, keeping her emotional identity in a constant state of stress.

Amidst the Sounds of War

The events in the film take place during the tense period in Ireland of the 1970s. War, conflict, and terror spread across the country like running water. Deciding to start a journey in such conditions makes the situation even more difficult for Kitten. However, we usually see the opposite of the typical situation. Kitten's journey against the backdrop of war does not transform her into a person who would justify violence or respond in the same manner to the pressures from society. Despite all these events, she still chooses to be more emotional, more loving, and more human. This shows us that even in the epicenter of the most inhumane act, war, it is possible to choose to be human.

In the Name of the Mother, of the Daughter, and the the Holy Love

One of the main purposes of Kitten's journey, along with finding herself, is the search for her mother. Looking through realistic depictions, this story, which appears tremendously sorrowful, creates a somewhat different impression by adapting to the general fairy-tale aesthetic. She decides to continue her search in London. Kitten's constant response to the events in the film is closely tied to her feelings for her mother, whom she has almost never seen, creating a special place in her emotions. The love of a mother is her main source of strength. She can leave all the difficulties behind thanks to this motivation and uses it as a stimulus to keep moving. As a result, the film shows us that even against the backdrop of society's dogmatic rules or cultural dissonances, love is the primary means of acceptance. Where there is love, everything else has less power.

Final Words

"Breakfast on Pluto" is one of the rare finds in cinema. It presents three complex subjects: conflict, the search for identity, and mother-child relationships, not as a heavy meal but as a dessert form in 128 minutes, achieving the desired effect. It is in such instances that the transformative potential of cinema comes into play more clearly and effectively. The film does not just show us the anomaly created by conflict from a general perspective but complicates it by showing it through the eyes of a person in search of her own identity and mother, grown up against a backdrop of social pressure. We witness the struggle of diversity in any situation and condition. The struggle is legitimate in any case. 

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