Has a real temporal specificity to its social-political commentary - overlaying Trump's press conferences and news reports to embolden the inner anguish of its principle characterization. Of course, this film's message is not just specific but universal, and Sandoval's ability to balance the film's thematic relevance with strong characterizations really stands out. The insertion of Alex serves as a great reciprocating force for the plight of Sandoval's central Olivia. An outsider, but also an immigrant himself - hell, we all are - but one whose problems stem from issues largely of his own creation. Through their relationship, the film slyly repurposes the conception of self-reliance and grafts it onto the story of its trans-gender immigrant central protagonist, effectively stripping all power from those who politically preach self-reliance and meritocracy, revealing their more insidious nature when it comes to opposition of immigration, you know, racism. By interweaving contextual commentary related to transgender and immigration, Lingua Franca is effective in both realms while ultimately exhibiting their commonality - subjugation of the minority by the majority. Sandoval's direction is efficient and effective, being overtly naturalist while still showing proclivities towards a level of artifice in its visual constructions that makes me curious to see what she does next. This is certainly the best Array film I've seen
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AuthorLove of all things cinema brought me here. Archives
June 2023
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