Mya Bollaers is a magnetic presence in this Belgian-French film that approaches the story of an adolescent trans girl and her estranged father with good intentions but a thuddingly unsubtle directorial approach. Bollaers brings a fascinating combination of willowy vulnerability and steely fury to the role of Lola, whose father, Philippe (a clunky Benoît Magimel), cuts her out of the funeral of her beloved mother. Flung together to scatter the ashes, Lola and her father gradually reach something resembling an understanding.
The screenplay relies heavily on cliches and contrivances, but there’s one lovely moment that speaks volumes: Lola fleetingly embraces her father from behind, he raises his hand to touch hers, but she’s already gone. A connection is possible, but Philippe has a lot of catching up to do.
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