A Fantastic Woman
Marina, a waitress who moonlights as a nightclub singer, is bowled over by the death of her older boyfriend.
Director:
Director: Sebastián Lelio
Cast:
Daniela Vega, Francisco Reyes, Luis Gnecco
Screenplay:
Writers: Sebastián Lelio (screenplay), Gonzalo Maza (screenplay)
Screening Date:
Jan 27, 2018
Studio:
Sony Pictures Classics
Running Time:
104 Minutes
| Excellent | Very Good | Good | Fair | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 46.0% | 30.7% | 23.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
“Beautiful film. Perfect timing and releasing it into today’s world. So many ways to interpret events.”
“Instead of all the mood scenes I would have preferred more details about Marina and Orlando. Was Orlando married before the wife we see? How does Marina have money for cabs and expenses?”
“Excellent portrayal of a person’s struggle for identity. Mysterious clues and good revealing of love triangle. Marina is an elegant statement about transgender transition/acceptance.”
"Maybe the best film we’ve seen all year. It certainly had many of the most memorable images seen all year – Marina against the wind and the many mirror shots, especially of the one with the mirror on her genitals that begs the question “am I who I see or what’s between my legs. That’s brilliant filmmaking.”
“Very timely subject matter, but sadly the people who need to see it won’t see it.”
“Interesting and well-acted. There are some missing pieces… Why didn’t Gabo say something to the family and/or show some support? Why didn’t she do more to defend herself? How did she get the dog? Why did the family who loved Orlando support his choices? There is no distinction made between tolerance, acceptance and support. However an interesting film.”
“The title and the music were most affective and most creative and added immeasurably to this moving film!"
“Along with the classical music at the end A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN offers many references to the classical painting of Botticelli’s Birth of Venus, signifying perhaps Marina’s impending ‘birth’ as a woman. Even the scene of her against the wind is part of the painting of Venus being blown to shore, and maybe that’s why all the water references.”
“Very daring subject matter and a very necessary movie. How did she get the dog? Would have liked Marina to press charges on the men who kidnapped her. Why was the ex-wife allowed to take charge? Are Chilean laws different from American laws? What happened to the envelope?”
“What an excellent film! Timely and moving topic, beautifully performed. The cinematography was intelligent as well as gorgeous. And the range of feelings shown throughout displayed the best and worst of human capacity.”
“Very Hitchcockian in some ways, reminded me of Vertigo.”
“So interesting from the point of view of a transgender in transition. Maria poses a complex look at how a transitional woman is viewed by those around her. She remains so regal amidst the chaotic response of those around her who are provoked by her presence into violence, disgust and love and repulsion. Visually exquisite, with so many wonderful shots like walking downhill into the wind, mirror shots; following Orlando into the crematorium, Marina being taped up. The music at the beginning was so Hitchcockian.”
“I thought this was a great film on a subject that needs to be talked about and appreciated. The film moved very well.”
“Water, water everywhere, from the opening scenes of the Falls to the spa to her name – Marina.”
“I remember seeing GLORIA here at MEA and thought then that this is a very interesting director, certainly a careful observer of what it is to be a woman. Sebastián Lelio is the Chilean Almodovar.”
“Here again is a movie I probably would never have caught were it not for MEA, and I would have missed a very great film. Great acting and incredible visual images. Eager to see LOVELESS next week, so good luck to both of them for Academy Awards.”
If you'd like to know more about the film...
Check out this list of the TOP 50 BEST CHILEAN FILMS
https://letterboxd.com/fraca1993/list/cinechiles-best-chilean-films-of-a...
Read this interview with DANIELA VEGA where she says she hopes A FANTASTIC WOMAN will genereate empathy towards trans people
https://www.scpr.org/programs/the-frame/2018/01/30/60678/a-fantastic-wom...
Check out DANIELA VEGA'S winding path toward a career in acting
https://www.backstage.com/interview/daniela-vegas-winding-path-acting/
