If you’ve yet to hear any of the hype surrounding Sebastián Lelio’s new film, A Fantastic Woman, just give the title a quick Goo- no wait, stay here! Suffice to say it’s sparked glittering reviews and thinkpieces a-plenty, you can read them later.
Nominated for Best Foreign Language Film, A Fantastic Woman tells the story of Chilean transgender woman Marina Vidal, who, after her partner Orlando dies, is left ostracised by his family and under suspicion from the police. Barred from his funeral and evicted from their home, the titular Fantastic Woman embarks on a fight for acceptance in what is being called an urgent call for compassion towards a community facing daily hostility.
“It may be a timely film, but it is its timelessness, as well as its depths of compassion, that qualify it as a great one.” ★★★★★ – Ryan Gilbey, The Guardian
Breakout star of this film is actress and singer Daniela Vega, who able to bring her genuine experiences to the film, in fact she was cast in the role after Lelio called her for advice when researching for the script. A breath of fresh air for for many, this is something that previous portrayals of transgender characters have often lacked, tending to cast big-name cisgender actors in trans roles (see Eddie Redmayne in The Danish Girl, Jared Leto in Dallas Buyer’s Club or Hilary Swank in Boys Don’t Cry).
But as timely and political the themes and messages in A Fantastic Woman are, this is essentially a love story and a story about triumph over adversity, and the very real-world topic doesn’t stop the film from entering the surreal at times either.
A Fantastic Woman opens Friday 2nd March. Find Showroom Cinema’s times and tickets here.
What they’re saying
“Shocking and enraging, rapturous and restorative… This movie is a knockout” David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter
“As good as Almodóvar at his best” ★★★★★ – David Sexton, The Evening Standard
“A rare movie about a trans person that feels of its time” – David Ehrlich, Indiewire
“A captivating and raw performance [from Daniela Vega]” ★★★★★ – Patrick Gamble, CineVue
