Exclusive: Cicada stars reveal impact of “universal” queer drama on audiences
Released to universal critical acclaim, Cicada is based on Fifer’s personal experiences with being molested as a child, and subsequent PTSD, as well as Brown’s trauma from being hospitalised in a drive-by shooting.
The film presents semi-fictionalised versions of Fifer and Brown as they reenact their whirlwind romance, including how they first met and helped each other overcome their traumatic pasts.
With Cicada playing various LGBTQ+ film circuits since it premiered at Outfest in 2020, we asked Fifer and Brown if they’ve heard from audience members who have experienced similar trauma to Ben and Sam. “Both of us have got a lot of DMs,” said Fifer, who made his directorial debut with Cicada. “We released virtually, so when I was working on this film I always pictured just one hug from an audience member. “We had a premiere in New York and that one moment, the first guy who came up, made it all worth it.
But the community is so large and so quiet, I think a lot of people might watch the film and not want to be like, ‘Oh yeah, I was molested.’ “It’s not that kind of story.
