Palaest recommended

Mabel Munoz Just intense enough to provide a much-needed diversion, just lightweight enough to make you forget about it soon after it’s over. It’s not exactly “good,” per se, but it does what it sets out to do in terms of putting us on edge, which makes it … successful?

Yash Wade Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

Asad Almond A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

dibeyendu Gloria is a trans woman who has taken charge of her life. She is independent, has a home, a successful restaurant and a young trans protégé living with her. Into this comes her estranged sister Grace and her two kids. Grace is dying and needs Gloria's help in looking after the children since she's got no other family. I saw this film at the Kashish International Queer Film Festival in Mumbai and it's an interesting feel-good depiction of a sorted transgender person. It's also a family drama, with the characters dredging out old secrets and grievances, as happens in all family themed films. Incidentally, Gloria gets herself a boyfriend in the film, a hunk who had the gay audience clapping and whistling! Good to see Brazil producing such a watchable LGBT film.