Girl

‘La sueur et le sang‘

There are not many films that come so close to perfection yet, Lukas Dhont’s latest feature is one of those extraordinary films that transcend human existence and haunts you forever. GIRL is a an intimate and raw portrait of a Belgian teenager who is transitioning gender whilst attempting a demanding national ballet school in Germany. We are introduced to Lara and her supporting family through the lens of a traditional coming of age drama which reiterates well known subjects such as identity, emancipation and sex. Yet the movie is much more than a sugar coated characterisation of a confused teenager as it quickly ventures into uncharted territory. Hollywood is failing to recognise and include transgender actors within their cast; A FANTASTIC WOMAN made history in 2017 as it won best foreign picture at the Oscars with a transgender actress in its lead role. A movie that I highly recommend too.

GIRL stands out from other LGBTQ+ films because the director has chosen not to victimise Lara. Unlike many same sex and gender related films, the main character isn’t a martyr of society. It is time to move away from guilt and oppression in films that make these issues seem bigger, nurturing a feeling of injustice and anger whereas we should focus on a brighter future. The real enemy in GIRL isn’t society, even though it occasionally attempts to undermine Lara’s womanhood, it is herself. We are confronted to a phallus that isn’t an object of desire nor design for pleasure. Lara carries it as a constant burden