Laurence Anyways

Year: 2012
Country: CANADA
Run Time: 168 minutes

Laurence appears happy. He's a respected teacher and his lover Frederica (Fred for short) adores him. But Laurence isn't happy…as a man. Laurence tells Fred that he is a woman imprisoned in his body. Fred is devastated, but after the shock fades she makes a startling and unexpected decision: the two of them will make this journey together. That journey is the heart of this extraordinary film. LAURENCE ANYWAYS sets itself apart by devoting equal time to both Laurence and Fred. Laurence begins the terrifying process of stepping out as a woman-in-progress. Fred is also a woman in progress, supporting Laurence while facing the ridicule of her family and the world-at-large. With an exuberant and visually poetic style, LAURENCE ANYWAYS whirls about these stories. The film luxuriates in telling detail, and its a cast of memorable characters remind us how harshly the world judges those who think differently. Your heart will go with them as they stumble toward becoming the women they are meant to be. (In French with subtitles) – C.R.

• Tweet