Marking the feature-film debut of female
director Jamie
Babbitt, 'But I'm A Cheerleader!' was
originally filmed in 1999.
It was finally released in 2001, thanks
in part to it being scr-
eened at the Sundance Film Festival.
Lynskey became involved in the project
at the request of her
friend Clea DuVall, also the friend of
Natasha Lyonne (Mel's
female co-star in 'Detroit Rock City').
This was the first and last
time that Lynskey, Lyonne and DuVall
all starred together in a
film.
However, Melanie has kept her interest
in gay cinema and TV
intact by her involvement with PowerUp,
a festival celebrating
female homosexuality in the entertainment
industry.
The story of 'But I'm A Cheerleader!'
revolves around a sexual
reorientation camp("yes, they exist -
horrible but true") and
the realisation of a girl, Megan(Lyonne),
that she is a lesbian
and that she should embrace her sexuality.
Although not fully explained as to why in
the story, her
character, Hilary Vandermuller, speaks
in a New Zealand
accent, allowing Melanie to talk in her
own dialect.
