This post is a part of an ongoing project in which I watch one movie from a different country every other week.

PLOT: Marina, a transgender woman who works as a waitress and moonlights as a nightclub singer, is bowled over by the death of her older boyfriend. –IMDB

MEMORABLE MOMENT: Marina (Daniela Vega) wakes up in the middle of the night to find that her boyfriend, Orlando (Francisco Reyes), is sitting on the edge of their bed. When she asks what is wrong he says (according to the subtitles), “I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” He tries to stand but collapses. While Marina helps him out of the apartment he falls down the stairs. She talks to him in the car, but he barely understands what is happening and eventually collapses a final time.

In most films Orlando would have simply tried to rise from the bed, collapsed and then the movie would cut to an ambulance. However we are taken through both of their reactions. We witness Orlando’s confusion and Marina’s concern which soon turns to panic. All the while she tries to keep her head together for her boyfriend’s sake. In a film full of pitch perfect performances this scene contains some of the best.

WHO IS THIS MOVIE FOR?: The most obvious answer is: A Fantastic Woman is a movie for anyone interested in the transgender community.  While this is true, it is also a movie for anyone seeking a film that focuses on an individual struggling to maintain their basic human rights.  

Protagonists always have a goal, something they are striving toward. Very often the goal is enormous such as saving the world, rescuing loved ones, surviving on a deserted island/mountain/life raft or obtaining money/power. ​Marina’s central goal is to be allowed to say goodbye to the man she loves with dignity, something many of us would take for granted. However, she has to fight tooth and nail for this. And even when she succeeds, it is under circumstances that are painfully lonely. This alone displays the seemingly insurmountable obstacles she faces just to be accepted as a human being. 

The film displays a wide spectrum of transphobic behaviors. Some are so slight a casual observer standing in the same room might not pick up on them. Others (such as those displayed by Orlando’s brother) come from people who try to be kind but never fully accept Marina. Then there is Orlando’s ex-wife who openly admits she is being prejudiced but doesn’t care. And of course there are those who are violently attack Marina. 

The movie doesn’t linger on this violence but if violence against members of the transgender community is a trigger you might want to have your finger on the fast forward button (the movie gives you plenty of warning when this scene is coming).  

It is tempting to say that if you were a fan of My Life In Pink, this series’ Belgium entry you should check this movie out. However, while they both include transgender women as lead characters, they also possess totally different tones. While My Life In Pink ​does contain some very dark scenes, it also possesses a lighter air overall and contains more comedic moments. Both films have dream-like sequences but My Life In Pink‘s are more like a fairy tale. A Fantastic Woman​ on the other hand (even during its more surreal moments) is firmly grounded in reality. That being said, they are both great (if very different) films. If you’re looking for a movie about a transgender hero – or just a movie about someone trying to achieve something most of us take for granted – they both deserve a watch. 

DIRECTED BY: Sebastián Lelio

WRITTEN BY: Sebastián Lelio, Gonzalo Maza

STARING: Daniela Veg, Francisco Rey, Aline Küppenheim