Tangerine

Tangerine (2015) tells the story of two transgender sex-workers in Los Angeles as one tries to track down a cheating boyfriend, and the other tries to follow her dream of being a singer. What makes this film so unique is that it was filmed entirely on three iPhone 5s phones and edited using Final Cut. The use of these unsophisticated tools that were meant for amateur filmmakers, along with the lack of sophisticated film sets, gives this film a very raw, realistic feel to it, making it very interesting to watch.

This film humanizes and sheds light on the struggles of a marginalized culture rarely seen in popular films, transgender street culture. We understand Sin-Dee's anger after learning that her boyfriend cheated on her with a cisgender prostitute named Dinah, and though seeing her beat and drag Dinah around LA with that stereotypical ferocity was pretty funny, we still feel sorry for her when some people throw urine in her face and yell slurs at her.

I really appreciate the fact that this film was made using only iPhones, because through its success, it seems to send the message that you don't need fancy equipment or a lot of money for your work to receive critical acclaim. It's a very inspiring message to amateur, or independent filmmakers hoping to tell a story to the world.