Elisa & Marcela is a beautifully shot piece of cinema. Each frame of nearly every shot looks like it could be framed, and hung up on display in a museum.
The representation of being queer can be problematic at times. Some of the shots imply that Elisa and Marcela's relationship is disgusting. Two of these are cut away shots of a dead squid; and a third shot involving the corpse of a squid being used in a sexual act. The three sex scenes throughout the film felt like as if I were watching a porno, and dragged out for far too long. Throughout these segments in the film, it felt like the movie was catering more to the "horny male demographic" rather then tell the story of Marcela and Elisa. The movie has this atmosphere that makes you feel like our two main leads shouldn't be romantically involved together in any capacity what so ever. The prejudice Elisa and Marcela experienced was very well executed, and is very relatable for many LGBTQ+ individuals living in countries where homosexuality is outlawed. Even today.
The pacing of the film is pretty slow but it does allow us (the audience) to form a connection with Elisa and Marcela.
The performances of the two women playing Elisa and Marcela were pretty solid.
For me as a bisexual man, this film isn't the best representation of homosexuality in film, but deep down inside, you'll find a very powerful and engaging story.
