Educational Media Reviews Online

Alice Junior tells the story of a trans social media star forced to move to a small town where her identity is less accepted and recognized. This portrayal of trans girlhood is positive and shows a person confident in herself, even though there are people who will try to invalidate her. In a time when identities are being called into question, and conservative lawmakers throughout the world are attempting to silence the spectrum of identity that exists, to have a positive portrayal of a fourteen-year-old accepted by her family and supported in her identity is valuable and important. The conclusion of the movie does come quickly, however there are no neat tidy endings; rather, we are left with a group of teenagers who are still trying to figure out who they are, just on the precipice of life.

Stylistically, the film does an excellent job with the idea of the lead character as a vlogger, including animations and emojis and hand-drawn emphasis throughout to accentuate Alice’s thoughts and experiences. It keeps the film thematically centered around Alice’s personality and interests, as well as giving the feeling that the viewer is watching a vlog. The language used is occasionally coarse, but feels in keeping with the language teenagers explore, and the kinds of insults that are directed at the LGBTQ+ community.

The only reservation I have about the film is that the provided English subtitles are not always entirely accurate, but it does not detract from the enjoyment and understanding of Alice Junior. I would recommend this film for Gender Studies courses, upper-level Portuguese or Spanish courses, as well as any course that may have an interest in gender expression and the lives of teenagers outside of the United States.

Awards:
Winner of the Felix Award for Best Brazilian Film at the Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival; Winner of Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Editing & Best Music at Brazilia Festival of Brazilian Cinema; Winner of the Crystal Bear for the Best 14+ Film at the Berlin International Film Festival; Berlin International Film Festival, Generational Prize for Best Film; L.A. Outfest, Special Mention for Int'l Narrative Feature

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