It wasn’t until I came out of the closet that I first heard the term “Two-Spirit.” Coined in 1990 by Native people as a way to describe a concept that was present in Indigenous cultures but not widely understood elsewhere, the expression is included as part of the “+” in “LGBTQ+,” and there’s even a movement to add it to the acronym – “2SLGBTQIA+.” Since I first heard the term, gender expressions like non-binary and genderqueer have risen to prominence. Many Native cultures celebrated what we now refer to as Two-Spirits, and the concept is further conveyed in the new Disney Launchpad short The Roof, premiering September 29th.
(Disney)
Ray (Phoenix Wilson) has been sent to stay with their grandfather Nick (Wes Studi), who is in the process of repairing his roof. Closed-off Nick doesn’t seem to know how to bond with his grandchild, and Ray is more curious about a framed photo of his grandmother, protected from a leaky roof by a chair with a bucket on it, and her old ceremonial dress. Under encouragement from Ray’s mom, the two finally start a dialogue while repairing the roof, and Ray discovers a more profound sense of kinship to his gruff grandfather than they ever knew was possible.
Written by W.A.W. Parker, who identifies as Two-Spirit and is of Northern Cheyenne descent, The Roof contains a genuinely profound moment of understanding for both protagonists. In addition to incorporating the concept of Ray being Two-Spirt, Nick’s backstory also weaves in a complicated piece of Native history that hasn’t been widely talked about outside of Indigenous communities until recently, the Indian Boarding School Policy that lasted from 1869 through the 1960s, through which Native children were forced to attend boarding schools that forced them to adopt Western culture. It’s hinted at that Ray is an outcast at school, a concept that is not foreign by any means to Nick.
Like The Little Prince(ss) and Growing Fangs, The Roof will soon become a treasured part of the Disney+ Pride collection. While it’s culturally specific to the Cheyenne community and other Native peoples, awareness of the concept of Two-Spirit is growing, and The Roof is ultimately a deeply human story about a grandparent and grandchild finding common ground. Director Alexander Bocchieri manages to keep the energy moving through a story that otherwise could’ve grown stagnant, and both Phoenix Wilson and Wes Studi deliver powerhouse performances.
Phoenix Wilson as Ray in Disney’s “LAUNCHPAD
Of all the Disney Launchpad shorts in this second wave, bonded by a theme of connection, The Roof feels like it has real Oscar potential. While many of these shorts got to play at festivals, The Roof was screened at Outfest LA, HollyShorts, Deadcenter Film Festival, Frameline Film Festival, and Palm Springs Shortsfest, plus it has an upcoming engagement at the Hawai'i International Film Festival. I would say all of the shorts are special in their own way and worth checking out, but The Roof is the one that hit me the deepest this season.
I give The Roof 5 out of 5 corrugated galvanized steel panels.
The Roof premieres Friday, September 29th, exclusively on Disney+ as part of Disney’s Launchpad.
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