A Male

Carlos' mother is in jail and his sister is working in the sex industry to pay her bills, leaving him to fend for himself in a youth shelter.

"A Male" is a subtle punch to the gut. Don't be fooled by the slow pacing, this subdued production is a coming-of-age tale that shows us the protagonist's slow descent into the toxic, masculine role that society has bestowed upon him. The lead delivers a captivating performance as he maneuvers through life in a youth shelter, simply trying to survive. Long, lingering shots of the demolition of the city are juxtaposed against the tale, drawing parallels to our lead's loss of innocence, one wrecking ball at a time. Merry Christmas.

MIFF 2022
82 mins