Watch A Fantastic Woman

"A Fantastic Woman" is a powerful and emotional drama from Chile that tells the story of a transgender woman named Marina, played brilliantly by Daniela Vega. The film explores themes of identity, grief, and discrimination, and follows Marina as she navigates the aftermath of her partner's sudden death. The film opens with Marina and her partner, Orlando (Francisco Reyes), returning home after celebrating her birthday. Orlando suddenly falls ill and dies, leaving Marina to deal with the aftermath alone. However, she soon realizes that Orlando's family is not accepting of her identity and is determined to keep her from attending the funeral and seeing him one last time.

Marina is subjected to cruelty and discrimination at the hands of Orlando's family, who refuse to acknowledge her identity and try to force her out of their lives. Despite this, Marina is determined to show her love and respect for Orlando and refuses to back down.

Throughout the film, Marina is confronted with challenges in both her personal and professional life, but she remains strong and resilient in the face of adversity. The film explores the complex and often difficult journey that transgender individuals face as they try to live their lives authentically and navigate a society that is often hostile towards them.

One of the film's greatest strengths is its lead performance by Daniela Vega, who brings incredible depth and nuance to the character of Marina. She perfectly captures the range of emotions that Marina experiences throughout the film, from grief and anger to determination and resilience. Vega is a revelation in this role and is a major reason why the film resonates so deeply.

In addition to Vega's performance, the film also boasts strong supporting performances from Francisco Reyes and Luis Gnecco, who play Orlando's brother and ex-wife, respectively. Both actors bring a level of complexity and depth to their roles, and serve as effective foils to Marina's character.

Director Sebastián Lelio also deserves praise for his handling of the film's sensitive subject matter. He approaches the topic of transgender identity and discrimination with sensitivity and care, and does not shy away from depicting the harsh realities that many transgender individuals face on a daily basis.

The film's cinematography and production design are also noteworthy, creating a rich and atmospheric world for the characters to inhabit. The score, composed by Matthew Herbert, is haunting and beautiful, adding to the film's emotional impact.

"A Fantastic Woman" is a deeply moving and impactful film that explores important themes and features a standout performance by Daniela Vega. It is a beautiful and powerful work of cinema that deserves to be seen by a wide audience.

A Fantastic Woman is a 2018 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 44 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.2 and a MetaScore of 84.