Something that i noticed on a local site today. The Cannes Festival is happening and this debut movie by Lukas Dhont is getting some wild reviews for its portrayal on Transgender people. Dhont has given a Belgian interview, sadly there is no English substitute so you have to bare with me for making a translation. EDIT: I found a English link, not exactly the same but still. (As there is no summary, i had to lift a synopsis of the Belgian site and rephrase it a little bit.)
Summary:
The director on his movie:
More on this: https://www.screendaily.com/feature...-cannes-transgender-film-girl/5129218.article
Interview (Translated): Source: https://www.ditjesendatjes.nl/vlaamse-hit-haalt-transgender-uit-taboesfeer/
CANNES - The Belgian director Lukas Dhont ended up being the next big thing this weekend on the Cannes Film Festival. The 26 year old debuts at Cannes with Girl, a dramapic about a young transgender person who wants to become a ballerina. The movie is getting lauded with lyrical reviews.
Days after the premiere, Dhont is still flabbergasted on the response. ''I have not read any reviews yet'', he says apologetically. ''I just want to remain a little longer in the bubble that was the premiere. People are saying things to me, and i allow them to say this. I have heard signs that the reaction is positive, but i just want to keep on enjoying that amazing feeling of that first showing.''
The movie was recieved with a more than 10 minute during ovation, a rare phenomenon in Cannes. ''It is a very fragile moment to share something that for so long has been a part of you to the world'', Dhont explains. ''You worked so long on this, you know that you did everything to it that was within in your power. And you know that its possible that people will get touched by your story. But if that actually is going to happen, you never can be sure. To be present in the room and see that effect roll out, is such a huge thing.''
Focus
Dhont was reading a newspaper story back in 2009 about a 15 year old transgender who wanted to become a ballerina. It was this message that helped Dhont come out of the closet regarding his own homosexuality and he made a truce with himself that his first feature length movie was going to be about this Nora. ''With this film i didn't wanted to focus on the outside world, on the negative response that transgender people experience. I wanted to focus on herself and her relationship with her body.''
The time is there for more transgender people in movie, thinks Dhont. ''We want to see characters that for so long were part of the background. The highest goal for me is that we arrive at a point where it does not matter anymore that Lara is a transgender, and that we just see a human being. Just like how Call Me By Your Name was a movie about love, and not specifically a movie that was about the love between two guys.''
Review (by Variety. Contains SPOILERS):
http://variety.com/2018/film/reviews/girl-review-lukas-dhont-1202808113/
Given that this is such a hot topic and given that ERA has a strong presence of people who identify as Trans, i felt it would be good to give this some specific attention. These movies deserve the spotlight for highlighting that what is still largely unknown the mass crowd.
Summary:
Trailer (Clips from Cannes, there is no official trailer yet):
The director on his movie:
More on this: https://www.screendaily.com/feature...-cannes-transgender-film-girl/5129218.article
Interview (Translated): Source: https://www.ditjesendatjes.nl/vlaamse-hit-haalt-transgender-uit-taboesfeer/
CANNES - The Belgian director Lukas Dhont ended up being the next big thing this weekend on the Cannes Film Festival. The 26 year old debuts at Cannes with Girl, a dramapic about a young transgender person who wants to become a ballerina. The movie is getting lauded with lyrical reviews.
Days after the premiere, Dhont is still flabbergasted on the response. ''I have not read any reviews yet'', he says apologetically. ''I just want to remain a little longer in the bubble that was the premiere. People are saying things to me, and i allow them to say this. I have heard signs that the reaction is positive, but i just want to keep on enjoying that amazing feeling of that first showing.''
The movie was recieved with a more than 10 minute during ovation, a rare phenomenon in Cannes. ''It is a very fragile moment to share something that for so long has been a part of you to the world'', Dhont explains. ''You worked so long on this, you know that you did everything to it that was within in your power. And you know that its possible that people will get touched by your story. But if that actually is going to happen, you never can be sure. To be present in the room and see that effect roll out, is such a huge thing.''
Focus
Dhont was reading a newspaper story back in 2009 about a 15 year old transgender who wanted to become a ballerina. It was this message that helped Dhont come out of the closet regarding his own homosexuality and he made a truce with himself that his first feature length movie was going to be about this Nora. ''With this film i didn't wanted to focus on the outside world, on the negative response that transgender people experience. I wanted to focus on herself and her relationship with her body.''
The time is there for more transgender people in movie, thinks Dhont. ''We want to see characters that for so long were part of the background. The highest goal for me is that we arrive at a point where it does not matter anymore that Lara is a transgender, and that we just see a human being. Just like how Call Me By Your Name was a movie about love, and not specifically a movie that was about the love between two guys.''
Review (by Variety. Contains SPOILERS):
http://variety.com/2018/film/reviews/girl-review-lukas-dhont-1202808113/
Given that this is such a hot topic and given that ERA has a strong presence of people who identify as Trans, i felt it would be good to give this some specific attention. These movies deserve the spotlight for highlighting that what is still largely unknown the mass crowd.
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