The Garden Left Behind

The Writer & Director work is noteworthy! A fresh scenario and epilogue with sublime cinematography sprinkled throughout the movie.

Saw this at SXSW, where Brazilian director Flavio Alves won the audiences' award. The movie is about Tina, a trans-woman from Mexico, living as illegal immigrant together with her caring grandmother in New York. The movie is almost shot like a documentary, following Tina's struggle with love, anti-trans violence, and her medical and psychological transition to become a woman. Shot with mainly first-time actors from the New York trans activist scene (and a supporting role by Michael Madsen as barkeeper) the movie feels completely authentic and realistic. The director and his co-writer John Rotondo mentioned at a Q&A at SXSW that they had no prior knowledge about trans women, they wanted to learn more about this marginalized (and stigmatised) group, thus they made this film. The film heavily benefits from the producers' curiosity, the film is only partially activist, more an empathic study of people living on the edge of society. I myself did not know a lot about trans women, however, I could quite easily resonate with the protagonists' feelings and experiences. Basically, it is about love and hate and friendship, about trying to find out who you are and how to find your place in life.

Alves and his team deserve major kudos for this film. Tina and Abuelita both did an impressively sensitive job of struggling toward a better life. Tina in particular was totally convincing in her role, and had to be as determined and creative as the team that managed to bring the film into being. This story has twists and turns that take my breath away, and that well qualify for intense discussion about many many facets of diversity we haven't yet begun to fathom. Every family and every school would benefit from doing an extended round table discussion the the issues sensitively presented! Bravo, Team Alves!!

Anyone who consumes film to be informed, educated, inspired, as well as to be entertained; who has an empathetic heart, a love of people (however they identify), a faith in fairness, of justice and of equality can't fail to be affected by the story and performances presented here. It has its faults and shortcomings, its not the best film you'll see this year, occasionally the grass ceases to grow - but none of that is due to the orientation of any of the characters, who bravely bring to your attention the challenges they face, just for being themselves, just for living their lives and for just wanting to be accepted for who they truly are and want to be.

"The Garden Left Behind" is a powerful story that let's you feel like you are with the lead character as she works towards becoming her true self. The fact that most of the actors in this production had never been in front of the camera before makes the production even more fantastic, as a viewer would never know that, as the acting doesn't look like acting at all. I will have to watch the film again, but fair warning, you may need tissues while watching.