I predict that the current poisonous cultural divide will change for the better when those who are canceled outnumber the cancellers. One such canceled figure who found the strength to stand tall amidst the controversy is the titular subject of Graeme Wilson’s documentary Gothix.
Gothix’s (a.k.a. Vanessa Rosa) rise to fame came through her popular Twitch channel. Her moniker originated from her goth past and evolved over time into her current persona. While working her 9-to-5 job and getting passed over for a promotion, Gothix discovered Twitch. She started as a gamer channel, and as her effervescent personality rose to center stage, it wouldn’t be long before she became a Twitch partner and a member of the growing community of diverse streamers.
Now, at the height of her success, Gothix made a single fatal mistake…she expressed an opinion. On July 14, 2019, Disney announced that Halle Bailey was cast as Ariel in the live-action version of The Little Mermaid. She questioned on Twitter why we should label someone as racist because they preferred an Ariel that looked like the original.
This single tweet set off a firestorm from the Black community. Rather than take it at face value, her critics read more into the tweet than what was actually there. She is now considered an enemy of her people. Immediately, her follower/subscriber count fell. But what also fell for Gothix was the feeling that she needed to hold back, and she embraced the notion that she could speak freely with care for whom she offended. It would be her authenticity that allowed her to develop a new audience…while emboldening her critics even more.
…and I haven’t even mentioned Trump or George Floyd and her transformation from a social justice warrior to the person she is today. Strap in, folks!
“Her moniker originated from her goth past and evolved over time into her current persona.”
Gothix is quite an incredible tale told by first-time documentarian Graeme Wilson. To this point, his career has been directing a few short films and a litany of music videos. Wilson brings his music video sensibilities to Gothix. No, this film is not a music video, but he knows how to keep a story moving and blending in Gothix gaming streams with static images of various social media tweets and posts.
Though Gothix occasionally feels like a first-time documentarian made it, the film’s structure, scene stitching, and use of talking head interviews are pretty impressive for his initial outing.
Where Gothix shines is that her story is more than just about a person who was publicly canceled and rose to prominence by finding a new audience. Director Wilson takes us through Vanessa’s emotional journey along the way. It’s not fun getting canceled. As challenging as she appears, Gothix is taking some severe emotional hits. Now, how do you rise above that?
Gothix is also keenly aware of her growth as a person, and looking back at events, she offers some pretty incredible insights into the toxic dynamics that come with being a social media influencer. There’s an emotional toll that comes with not just being a public figure (without formal training) as well as having a target of woke culture.
Ultimately, Gothix is the story of getting knocked down in life, enduring each punch, rising above a seemingly hopeless situation, and dealing with an emotional tsunami along the way. From my perspective, I’ll just add that it’s a call to bring civility back to the public discourse. The final chapter ends beautifully with a revelation from Gothix that will keep any documentarian on their toes.
Gothix is available to watch on LOOR.TV and anyone that uses the code GOTHIX at sign-up gets a 7-day free trial and 10% off their first month!
