By – Gareth Jones

For fans of queer cinema, specifically trans stories, Isabel Sandoval, and immigration stories

Trans representation in film has evolved considerably in the last few years.  This is especially true because trans directors are now having opportunities to tell their own stories from their own perspectives. This is very true with the work of Isabel Sandoval and her third feature film, Lingua Franca.

Before making this film, Isabel made two films in the Philippines, before her affirmation surgery.  Lingua Franca is her first after the affirmation surgery and her first in English.  She is a true auteur, as not only does she direct the film, but she also writes, acts, and edits her films. This film is a fictional narrative but it definitely benefits tremendously from Sandoval’s own lived experience.It tells the story of a trans woman (Olivia) caregiver from the Philippines, who is taking care of an older woman with dementia.  Olivia is played with such heart and depth, that it is easy to make the assumption that this is an autobiographical tale.  Olivia is in New York as an undocumented immigrant, under constant fear of being deported. She is actively looking to hire someone to marry her to get a green card.  Initially, it looks like she has someone lined up, but he backs out.  Meanwhile, she continues to take care of Olga, who lives in the Russian-Jewish section of New York, Brighton Beach.  Olga’s prodigal grandson, Alex, comes to stay with her after getting out of rehab. He is looking for a fresh start, and begins to fall in love with Olivia. The relationship is complicated by his circle of friends and family.  He also is very representative of the patriarchy in spite of his love for a trans woman.  He wants to put her in a box that Olivia cannot exist in.

Olga is played by the iconic New York actor, Lynne Cohen, famous for recurring roles on Law and Order and Sex and the City, as well as over a 100 other roles. She makes the most of a small role, per usual, bringing both sadness and humor to the performance.  Alex is played by an up and coming independent actor, who I had seen previously in a villainous role in the Netflix series The Witcher. He is quite good here portraying a challenging character that is not that likable, and at times is despicable. The cinematography by Isaac Banks is superb, capturing the stillness within the chaos of New York, often lingering over buildings and interiors. These longer shots become poetic in their connection to the emotions and experiences of Olivia. A closing door is not just a closing door. Sandoval has listed Chantel Akerman and Wong Kar Wai as direct influences and this is especially evident in these longer scenes and in the way that light and color are captured by the camera.

This film was made during the first Trump presidency and features recordings of him speaking as well as headlines and commentary from the news.  It even features some Joe Rogan on the radio being listened to by Alex.  All of this is to say that it remains even more topical with the upcoming presidency.  The power of this film is that it gives you the perspective of a valuable person contributing to this country that is living in constant fear, but somehow continues to persevere.  Definitely a story to be told again.