The winner of the 2018 Best Foreign Language Oscar, the film introduces us to Marina, a waitress and occasional cabaret singer, who lives in Chile with her lover, Orlando. Marina is transgender, and strives for her dignity despite enormous odds. When Orlando dies, Marina’s identity is called into question, and she is dismissed by Orlando’s doctors and his ex-wife and son. Marina’s charisma and poise are her strength, and she refuses to dissolve into a victim. Chile, 2017, 110 minutes, rated R
Community Partner: Rockland Pride Center, whose members will lead a post-screening discussion (member discount extended to Rockland Pride)
Academy Award Winner: Best Foreign Film
“The film’s most potent and lasting image involves a hand mirror and a steady gaze, and it serves as a breathtaking poetic metaphor about gender, identity, love, and the human soul. All you have to do, says Lelio, is look and see.” – Ty Burr, Boston Globe
“Vega never makes a false move— her portrayal digs deep and leaves you shaken. A Fantastic Woman catches a human being in the challenging and exhilarating process of inventing herself. The result is unique and unforgettable.” – Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
“In our increasingly polarized time, A Fantastic Woman bridges the gap between ignorance and understanding through the transcendent power or art.” – Calvin Wilson, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
“There are moments here that will arrest you with their hallucinatory power.” – Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times
“A richly humane, moving study of someone keeping alive the memory and the fact of love.” – Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian
