It has often been said that there are two kinds of family that we all experience – the ones we are born into, and the ones we get to choose. Naturally, this requires some flexibility, since no domestic situation is going to be identical to another, but it is generally a good way of looking at what is essentially a more multidimensional depiction of family, and how it isn’t necessarily only defined by blood relations. For some people, your chosen family becomes the dominant force in your life, the guiding factor that draws us together and helps us move towards an uncertain future. This is the premise that serves as the foundation for The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo (Spanish: La misteriosa mirada del flamenco), the beautiful and poetic directorial debut by Diego Céspedes, which follows the story of Lidia, who stands at the intersection between childhood and adolescence, a difficult period that is made slightly easier by the people who have raised her – a group of drag queens and trans woman who live together in a remote mining town in the north of Chile, a ragtag gang of eccentric personalities that have found their salvation in this arid landscape, entertaining the locals and being invaluable members of a community that they know would have no hesitation in exiling them if given the chance. A fascinating character-driven drama that sets out to explore some intimidating ideas, which it does with elegance and an immense attention to detail, capturing some extraordinary ideas that are beautifully communicated into this quiet, intense psychological drama that touches on the human condition in ways that are genuinely quite surprising, if not borderline revolutionary. A simple but evocative film that tells a story that is both familiar and unique (depending on the aspect that we find to be most intriguing), The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo is a fascinating document of a community that has been hidden in the shadows, but whose existence is finally being embrace, turning it into one of the year’s most powerful and poetic examinations of community, identity and the resilience of the human spirit.

As time has progressed, we have tended to think that art has become more inclusive – this is only partially true, since while we do see more stories by artists who exist outside the status quo making their way into the mainstream, they have always been here, crafting works that reflect their unique experiences and identities, with all that has changed being the medium growing more comfortable in providing a platform for these narratives. In the case of The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo, we see many ideas intersecting and overlapping, all of which are done in incredibly compelling and challenging ways, while also having a sense of simplicity where it matters. The core of the narrative is that of queerness – the story revolves around a community of queer individuals (I’m reluctant to assert any kind of umbrella label, since the film goes out of its way to use many different terms to refer to them, ranging from drag queens to trans women, and everything in between) whose origins are not entirely clear, but where their clear affection and respect for one another has allowed them to create this oasis in the middle of the most hostile, arid terrain imaginable, in terms of both the physical landscape and the people who occupy it, which serves to be the primary point of contention throughout the film. Through this, the director tells a very simple story of Lidia, who is gradually starting to explore the world – no longer can she be sheltered under the protection of her adopted family (with her unofficial mother, the titular Flamenco, being particularly concerned that she is growing up too fast), and instead needs to be allowed to make the mistakes that will in turn teach her some of life’s harshest lessons. Many potential avenues can be unpacked and explored thoroughly – and the great skillfulness of this film is its refusal to follow particular patterns, choosing instead to take all of these complex ideas and arrange them in such a way that several different themes can be explored in tandem. The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo is as much about queerness as it is about family, community and identity, and while these are not particularly unique to this film, the director’s ability to capture such striking moments.

To bring these ideas to life, Céspedes enlists quite an impressive cast – not in terms of name recognition, but rather the clear layers of experience and insight they have into the underlying themes. The de facto lead is Lidia, portrayed by Tamara Cortés, who exhibits such extraordinary sensitivity and nuance in handling the challenges that come with taking on such a complex character. It’s not often we find a child performer capable of showcasing such depth, since we’d naturally assume that the film will be edited around their relative lack of experience – but this is far from the case here, as the young actor delivers such a poignant, compelling performance, she becomes the anchor of the entire film. Accompanying her is a sprawling cast of queer actors, each one of them delivering stellar, moving work – the titular character is played by Matías Catalán, and while he is a cisgender actor playing a transwoman (which is often considered passé in an era where many actors exist outside the gender binary who could very effectively play the part), there is a sensitivity and genuine respect to his performance that makes it acceptable enough, especially considering the part calls for someone who embodies a specific kind of hypnotic androgyny. Another emotional core of the film is found in Paula Dinamarca, who (much like her character Mama Boa, the den mother of this community) is an older transwoman, and is therefore well-suited to play the part of someone who has spent most of her life fostering the lost, aimless souls simply seeking a home. She starts as the upbeat, warm matriarch before the film gradually reveals more of her life, showing that she is a far more complex character, someone who represents the many queer men and women who were forced to live in the shadows for their entire life, hiding their true selves in fear of becoming social pariahs. Every performance in The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo is truly extraordinary, and Céspedes ensures that it resounds with an honesty and sincerity which massively elevate this film and make it such a quietly moving work of character-driven drama, the kind that we don’t find being made all that often anymore.

Considering the wealth of complex ideas that drive this film, which contains broad overtures of coming-of-age stories, queer narratives and family drama, we would expect a film that overflows with emotions. This is partially true, since many ideas lend themselves to a more complex approach, but the film is mercifully not only lacking in the kind of frustrating density we would expect from such a story, but actively very moving, having a quiet effervescence in some parts that distracts from the more intense emotional bludgeoning that occurs in certain moments. This is not an easy film as far as its themes go – this is a story in which we think we’re getting a moving story of chosen families as seen through the eyes of a young girl navigating a challenging world, but it proves to be quite brutal in some parts, which includes one of the most harrowing depictions of queer-based violence we’ve seen in years, which occurs roughly thirty minutes into the film, essentially changing the trajectory entirely and proving to be entirely different than we expected. In order to prevent it from becoming heavy-handed, the director approaches the film as a series of moments, each one working towards finding the underlying truth behind a particular scene. It’s not overly flowery in how it approaches these ideas, and gradually reveals itself to be a more compelling examination of a group of people who are lost in a world that doesn’t make sense, but which find refuge with one another, supporting their community through some challenging experiences. Céspedes is very careful not to overplay anything, keeping the entire film as natural as possible. Naturally, there are going to be a few more intense moments, and the director seems to relish his ability to get to the very verge of melodrama before quietly de-escalating it to the point where it feels natural once again. He was not interested in making a feature-length telenovela, but still makes use of some of the dramatic tension that we’d normally associate with it over time, making The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo a very creative and compelling affair that knows precisely how to temper its emotions and deliver a moving, captivating story.

There are many ways to describe The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo – a celebration of identity through the story of queer women defying society and marching to the beat of their own drums, a poignant coming-of-age drama, a social realist text about the challenges of existing in a society that does not appreciate difference, or simply a tale of family. Yet, none of them in isolation do this film justice, which is instead most appropriately described as a poetic combination of themes, ideas and concepts that come together to form something truly moving and effortlessly effective. It is not an overly complex work, but rather one that focuses on creative ways of exploring these themes – deeply moving examinations of the human condition, anchored by magnificent performances that feel authentic, lived-in and honest, and driven by a desire to understand exactly what it is that drives us towards one another, especially when we are seeking a refuge from the outside world. Providing some fascinating insights into the subject of chosen families, particularly in how they can become metaphorical sanctuaries from the hostile demands of a brutal, cruel world, while also being a tender coming-of-age drama that explores queerness and femininity honestly and directly, The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo is a powerful work – and its decision to exist at the intersection between social realism and a more experimental approach (occasionally using a stream of consciousness method to tell the story and reflect the metaphysical journeys of these characters) only makes it an even stronger artistic statement. Poignant, poetic and tremendously moving, The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo is one of the year’s most fascinating and compelling films, and proof that a simple concept with strong execution and a sincere vision can be truly astonishing.