Monica
Refreshing and inspiring. Raises the bar for trans stories onscreen, and Lysette takes her rightful place as its muse.
Monica
Monica is an intimate portrait of a woman who returns home after a long absence to confront the wounds of her past. Reconnecting with her mother and the rest of her family for the first time since leaving as a teenager, Monica embarks on a path of healing and acceptance. The film delves into Monica's internal world and state of mind, her pain and fears, her needs and desires, to explore the universal themes of abandonment and forgiveness.
Monica marks a major first foray into US theaters for filmmaker Andrea Pallaoro, a fresh new voice in Italian cinema who has been making a stir with audiences overseas. A collaboration between breakout star Trace Lysette (Transparent), Academy Award Nominee Patricia Clarkson, and Emily Browning, the film stood out at the 2022 Venice Film Festival, where it competed for the Golden Lion, Queer Lion, and won the Arca CinemaGiovani Award for best Italian Feature before eventually screening in competition at major film festivals in Chicago, Annecy, and Warsaw.
"Refreshing and inspiring. Raises the bar for trans stories onscreen, and Lysette takes her rightful place as its muse... A meticulously crafted master class in restraint." -IndieWire
"A tender portrait of familial reconnection." -Deadline
"Beautifully composed... Touching. 'Monica' is above all a film about love." -Screendaily
"A wondrous work." -Roger Ebert
"An uncommonly graceful, bittersweet portrait of acknowledgement and reconciliation." -ION Cinema
"Trace Lysette radiates the grace and gentleness at the core of the film." -The Playlist
"Clarkson [is a] master of meaningful microexpressions, who excels at speaking volumes without opening her mouth." -Variety
"Touching." -The Wrap
Monica marks a major first foray into US theaters for filmmaker Andrea Pallaoro, a fresh new voice in Italian cinema who has been making a stir with audiences overseas. A collaboration between breakout star Trace Lysette (Transparent), Academy Award Nominee Patricia Clarkson, and Emily Browning, the film stood out at the 2022 Venice Film Festival, where it competed for the Golden Lion, Queer Lion, and won the Arca CinemaGiovani Award for best Italian Feature before eventually screening in competition at major film festivals in Chicago, Annecy, and Warsaw.
"Refreshing and inspiring. Raises the bar for trans stories onscreen, and Lysette takes her rightful place as its muse... A meticulously crafted master class in restraint." -IndieWire
"A tender portrait of familial reconnection." -Deadline
"Beautifully composed... Touching. 'Monica' is above all a film about love." -Screendaily
"A wondrous work." -Roger Ebert
"An uncommonly graceful, bittersweet portrait of acknowledgement and reconciliation." -ION Cinema
"Trace Lysette radiates the grace and gentleness at the core of the film." -The Playlist
"Clarkson [is a] master of meaningful microexpressions, who excels at speaking volumes without opening her mouth." -Variety
"Touching." -The Wrap
Genre
Drama,
Women and Film,
LGBTQ+
Runtime
113
Language
English
Director
Andrea Pallaoro
Writer(s)
Andrea Pallaoro,
Orlando Tirado
Cast
Emily Browning,
Patricia Clarkson,
Trace Lysette,
Joshua Close,
Adriana Barraza
Awards:
Winner, Arca CinemaGiovani Award ~ Best Italian Film, Venice Film Festival
Nominee, Golden Lion, Venice Film Festival
Nominee, Queer Lion, Venice Film Festival
MOREFEATURED REVIEW
Peter Debruge, Variety
Over the course of three quietly devastating features, Italian-born, America-based art-house director Andrea Pallaoro (“Medeas,” “Hannah”) has shown just how inadequate words can be when it comes to expressing some of life’s most complicated emotions. In his latest, “Monica,” Pallaoro takes on the ...
Played at
Royal 5.08.23 - 5.08.23
Monica Film Center 5.09.23 - 5.09.23
Glendale 5.19.23 - 5.25.23
Claremont 5 5.19.23 - 5.25.23
NoHo 7 5.19.23 - 5.25.23
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