Lola and the Sea

Lola is eighteen, a trans woman, and has just learned she can finally have surgery. In the same days her mother dies; she was Lola's only financial support. Her mother's last wish is for her ashes to be scattered on the Belgian coast. Lola has to make that journey with her father. They have not spoken in two years and he does not accept who his daughter is. Over the drive both of them have to give something up. Laurent Micheli does not tie the father's change to an easy agreement; the difference between accepting and putting up with is the film's central matter. The narrative also does not construct Lola as a suffering figure; she is angry, stubborn, and at times in the wrong. Mya Bollaers plays Lola in her first film. She won the most promising actress award at the Magritte Awards and was the first openly transgender person nominated for it. Benoît Magimel plays the father. Who it's for: Viewers who like Belgian and French drama, trans narratives, and road films. Who it's not for: The scenes of conflict between father and daughter are harsh and repetitive. The resolution at the end may also feel early to some.