Tonya By Craig Gillespie Film Techniques

Tonya, directed by Craig Gillespie, is a dark comedy and drama based on a real-life event. The movie focuses on Tonya Harding, a talented figure skater. She grew up with her father leaving her when she was four and her abusive mother, Lavona, raising her since. In 1991, she became the first American woman to complete a triple axle during a competition. In 1994, however, after Jeff, her ex-husband, was involved in the injury of another competitor, Nancy Kerrigan, it led to conflict in her skating life. One reason for her career meeting its end is due to abusive relationships with people such as Lavona, Tonya’s mother, and Jeff, her ex-husband. Gillespie uses film techniques such as camera work, dialogue and dark lighting in I Tonya to describe human nature through domestic violence. Throughout this film, Gillespie explains that people should consider both sides of the coin before making a criticism or biased judgement about someone.

In the first scene, Gillespie introduces the theme of domestic violence through 12-year-old Tonya Harding. During this scene, Tonya and her father, Al,

The film shows that this issue can go unrecognised, like many issues, even though someone like Tonya is involved. Tonya has been abused almost her entire life, which went unnoticed until this movie. People who were informed or knew about the Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan incident may not discuss the perspective of Tonya. The techniques that the director uses also give an understanding of the extent to which Tonya was abused and the criticism that Tonya received from the media. Gillespie created this film to outline why Tonya is not the person the media presents her as being. He also communicates to the audience that issues such as domestic violence go unnoticed. Therefore, people should not judge or wrong another person without knowing their