The Last Summer of La Boyita

Is it too bold to say perfect storytelling?

With such a complex story of gender identity, denial and self-discovery, the screenplay and the director kept it simple and poignant by never leaving the realm of the young girl, Jorgelina's, comprehension of what is happening to her friend, Mario, and trying to cope with the austere, rural culture.

Jorgelina was so aware and wilful but didn't tip into that horrible precociousness. For example, when her father, a doctor, began explaining what was happening to Mario she wasn't interested in all that technical talk. She wanted to get to the heart of the matter - is Mario going to be alright? Yet as an audience member it helped us get an understanding of what was occurring.

The scene where the doctor approaches the subject with Mario's mother was particularly well done. The mother's emotions were so restrained as she went from denial to acceptance to grief.

And the landscape was used so beautifully; the use of water in accepting who you are. Jorgelina was constantly frolicking and submerging herself in the pool and later the natural, "dangerous" river; whilst Mario was trying to wash away the truth. And the closed feeling of life on the farm as Mario worked hard for his father against the freeing wide shots of flocks of birds and the two children riding off together. When Marion runs away you know he's out there, so at night Jorgelina whispers her apology to the wild bush lands.

With the adults in the background all trying to come to terms with Mario and how best to handle it, Jorgelina was simply there. Perfect.