A Fantastic Woman

A fine drama. In general, I find LGBTQ+ cinema to be somewhat underwhelming, as it is often too focused on themes and messaging. A Fantastic Woman doesn't just have a more interesting premise, it also comes in a neat and polished cinematic package. That makes it so much easier to sit through.

When Marina's lover gets an episode in the middle of the night, she brings him to the hospital as quickly as possible. He doesn't survive the night, and Marina is left to deal with the consequences. As a transgender woman, her grief will have to conquer lots of prejudice before it can settle in.

Daniela Vega's performance is strong and the things she has to deal with in this type of situation were mostly unexplored territory for me. It's Lelio's gentle but colorful and striking presentation that made the emotions extra tangible though. It's a beautiful and touching drama, a rare case where the Academy made the right call.