Secret Society: A Cautionary Tale Filled With High Fashion And Even Higher Drama

Celess (Reyna Lovee) and Tina (Erica Pinkett) play the game far too well, and they’re winning too. But when the secret they both share comes out, that same shovel that got them out of the dirt could very well bury them. Based on the best-selling novel of the same name, Secret Society is a first of it’s kind. Written by Miasha Coleman, the film is a cautionary tale filled with high fashion, high lifestyle, and even higher drama. Miasha used CIS women to play trans women in the film, because she wanted to give an audience who would usually ignore trans women, an opportunity to see their everyday struggles.

We were recently invited to the virtual premiere and stream of The Secret Society movie. The film displays a compelling relationship between two characters (Celess and Tina) both of whom are members of the Trans community. The film delves into hard-gripping perspectives and stories very rarely discussed within the Black community. In particular, the character of Celess has a traditionally Christian mother (played by Vivica Foxx) who grapples with the idea of her son’s decision and eventually disowns her. What stood out to me the most about this film is the perfect casting from the director ( Jamal Hill) for each character. While it does dawn on me that it would have been a better decision to cast an actual Transgendered duo, the cast and crew prior to the film had told critics to give the film a chance before righting it off as it was done with the upmost consideration.

“Having to deliver the emotions that Celess was going through was a bit challenging but it was necessarily thinking about the things that I have gone through in my life”, said Reyna Lovee.

“The human experience you will face despair, you will face happiness and depression...for me, playing Tina she has so many layers and for the first couple of minutes in the movie, you feel like you have her all figured out. But as the moment continue to pass you realise you’re peeling back layers of who she is, and by the end, you see who she truly is by the core. I really feel that a lot of us are like that. We build all these personalities based on trauma and experience and life teaches you to be guarded. When you get to a true place of happiness you’re able to be who you are at your core -with all your guards down and layers”, continued Erica Pinkett.

What stood out to me, in particular, is the continued aesthetic of Atlanta “hot girl” lifestyle. This saw both characters rock the latest trends and exquisite outfits, to which the cast insists the hand of Miasha Coleman (writer) was the largest influence on the Versace/glamorous-Esque aestheic. This movie will have your eyes glued to the screen to find out the jaw dropping secret. Secret Society is available on Amazon Prime Video now.