A Perfectly Normal Family

Director Malou Reymann taps into her own upbringing in A PERFECTLY NORMAL FAMILY—a gentle and sincere debut feature. In early 2000s Denmark, 11-year-old Emma spends most of her time thinking about and playing soccer like the self-proclaimed tomboy she is. It’s not until her dad—now Agnete—comes out as trans that her empathy and world view begin to develop outside of herself. As her parents get divorced and Agnete begins to come into her own, Emma takes it about as well as any child faced with major change. Always a calm and loving parent, Agnete goes out of her way to comfort her daughter, but makes it clear she refuses to compromise her own identity. Emma’s family, including her compassionate teenage sister Caroline, is there to help her through the growing pains. But ultimately it’s up to her to accept her loved ones for who they are—herself included. As the daughter of a trans woman herself, Reymann’s honest domestic drama watches a family transition together with patience and understanding. (In English and Danish with subtitles) — D.O.