Elisa y Marcela: A Film Review

ELISA MARCELA y ELISA MARCELA y A FILM REVIEW A FILM REVIEW By Francesca Moran

Black and white, artsy, foreign language, gay; speculation rather than invent something that if you are like me and like any of these things was not true. then you will love Netflix’s Elisa y Marcela. Directed by Isabel Coixet, this biopic tells the This film undoubtedly made me emotional, story of Spain’s first same-sex marriage bewith the final black screen depicting that this tween the two titular characters. was indeed a true story and that same-sex The film is set from the late 1800’s through to marriage was made legal in Spain only in the early 1900s, depicting the progression of 2005. Another nice touch was in the credits, the relationship of the two main characters, with the inclusion of pictures of real-life lesportrayed through stunning cinematography. bian weddings while the credits rolled. It was The couple endure a lot of challenges throughheart-warming to see just how far we as a sociout their lives but contrary to how most ety have come, that people can marry who they LGBTQ+ films end, this one has quite a pleaslove without always having to resort to lying ant ending. about their gender and having to live in secret. However, as the film points out in the end, The film is quiet and intimate and with scenes homosexuality is still illegal in 72 countries, shot in black and white, it has a definitely artin 14 of which it is punishable with 14 years of sy feel. There are a few plot holes in the story imprisonment, and in 13 countries it is punishwhich are not explained in the film, which may able by death. This is a stark reminder that, have been due to editing or issues with run while we have come far, there is still much to time. However, as it is a historical film, some be done. elements of the story were unknown, so you can forgive the filmmakers for leaving it to