A Fantastic Woman

Dir: Sebastián Lelio

2017

*****

Before adapting Lelio and Gonzalo Maza script that featured a transgender woman as the story’s protagonist, Chilean director Sebastián Lelio wanted to research the transgender Chilean community. He approached Mezzo-Soprano singer and transgender woman Daniela Vega as a consultant to help him develop the script but after some time working with her and after Daniela began to share her personal experiences with him, he knew she was perfect for the main role – even though she had no acting experience of training whatsoever. It turned out to be the perfect decision, as Vega is absolutely captivating in her performance. The story follows Marina, a young transgender woman living in Santiago, Chile who works as a singer and waitress. She is taken to dinner by her boyfriend Orlando (Francisco Reyes), an older man whom she has recently moved in with and the their then go onto a club where they dance the night away. That night, Orlando wakes up in a daze and complains he doesn't feel right. Marina prepares to take him to the hospital, but while waiting for the building’s elevator he stumbles down a flight of stairs. After driving Orlando to the hospital and checking him in, she is told by a doctor that Orlando has died of a brain aneurysm. Orlando’s brother, Gabo, turns up and tells her that he can take it from there before the rest of Orlando’s family turn up. It becomes clear that Orlando's family aren’t happy that he is was seeing a transgender person. She runs from the hospital and is then picked up by police, who drive her back and demand an explanation for why she left so suddenly. Marina speaks to Gabo who helps her to convince the police officers of her innocence and lets her take Orlando's car home. Marina is contacted by Sonia, Orlando's ex-wife, and they arrange a time for Marina to drop off Orlando's car. She meets with Sonia, who is upfront with her transphobic feelings towards Marina. The question whether Orlando left Sonia for Marina lingers but is never answered. Shortly after, Orlando's son Bruno starts occupying the apartment Orlando owned where Marina lives, intent on driving her out. He also insists on keeping her dog, Diabla, that Marina tells him Orlando gave her. While working, Marina is visited by a detective. The detective, Antonia, reveals she works in solving crimes that include sexual assault, and was concerned by the bruises Orlando suffered during his fall. To prove her innocence, Marina reports to the police station and is photographed nude to prove that there was no physical exchange between them on the night of Orlando's death. Greeted by her sister Wanda and Wanda's partner Gastón the following day, Marina prepares to move out of Orlando's apartment. Although they and Sonia warn her not to, Marina attends Orlando's wake. Upon entering, Sonia stops the service and demands that Marina leave. On her way out, Gabo follows and apologizes to her. She is later accosted by Bruno and his friends from a car. His friends grab her and force her into the car. They threaten her and wrap her face in scotch tape, leaving her in an alleyway. Scared and alone, Marina then walks to a gay club where she meets and dances with a boy. She stays with Wanda and Gastón that evening. The next morning, she discovers the details of Orlando's funeral in the newspaper. Her friends warn her to let it go, and Marina says she won't attend. However, she does go to the funeral home after the ceremony takes place. Entering the graveyard, she is confronted by Orlando's family who are leaving in their car. While they insult her, she climbs on top of the car and yells angrily that she wants her dog, Diabla, back. Stunned, they drive away. Following an employee into the morgue, she is able to see Orlando's body and say goodbye to him before his cremation. Later, Marina is seen taking a run with Diabla. In the last scene, she sings an opera recital to a packed auditorium. It is a simple film with a delicate performance that memorized me from start to finish. Sebastián Lelio’s direction is absolutely stunning. The scene where the couple are enjoying a meal in a Chinese restaurant is one of the most beautifully lit moments I’ve ever seen and it is just two people eating. Vega’s performance is subtle but complex, somehow she says everything by saying nothing at all, it’s all in the eyes and her timing is superb. It not really a film that is open to interpretation as such but the viewer is treated respectfully and trusted to read between the lines. Marina’s grief and shock are both muted but you feel her sadness. Seeing how suspicious people are of her is sadly convincing and I couldn’t help but wonder whether much of it comes from truth – after all, Vega was a script consultant. The openly transphobic characters are clear but characters like Gabo – who isn’t comfortable interacting with Marina but clearly isn’t transphobic – are interesting in that he knows his and other’s actions are wrong but he won’t do or say anything about it, even when he knows his dead brother would have wanted it most from him. Vega was of course a singer long before she stared in the film and I’m sure much of the script was tailored to her and her abilities. In a midway scene we see her visit an old music teacher who she is clearly close to. He tells her he isn’t her father or her friend and that he doesn’t want to talk to her about her troubles but if she would like to sing, he’d be happy to accompany her. He clearly loves her and this is his way of saying that singing would be the best route for her to heal. It’s quite a lovely scene, especially when, in the last scene, we see her sing on stage. Another later scene, where we see Marina visit a night club after being abused, shows her reawakening. Marina goes with a man in the club and looks as if she regrets it somewhat but then forces herself out of her slump. She knows she needs to move on, and in that moment we see her dance in a chorus line as the film takes on a temporary dream-like sequence, ending with Marina flying to the ceiling and smiling directly at the cinema. It’s a real glorious moment that turns the film on its head. Again, even though it is quite a colourful and lavish scene, it is also muted and subtle, letting the viewer enjoy it for what it is without forcing the message down their throats. It is a most modest masterpiece.