Sask. filmmaker's short shares personal journey to queer acceptance from childhood to adulthood

This short film was produced by Nicole Mae, a Regina-based poet and filmmaker, in collaboration with CBC's Creator Network.

Nicole Mae (they/she) was a creative child and a dreamer who would get lost in their thoughts. But as they got older, Mae realized not everyone saw the world the way they did. Gradually, Mae's confidence eroded, to the point where they felt like nobody wanted them around.

In their film, Mae reflects on those difficult memories from childhood, and how realizing they were queer brought a whole new set of worries.

Mae says they just wanted to make others happy as a child and didn't understand why people hated them.

Mae says seeing Pride flags in peoples' windows, and some TV shows portraying gay characters, helped them come to terms with who they were. Many of these little things combined to give them a sense of belonging and comfort as they navigated their own life as a young queer person.

As Mae got older, they began to love all the things that made them unique, including their humour, sensitivity and creativity, which were all derived from their queerness. Now 23, Mae feels free to dream again.