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The Last Summer of La Boyita

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Synopsis

It’s the summer of changes, secrets and transformations in this touching coming-of-age story of the passage from childhood innocence to youthful adolescence.Don't miss the moving The Last Summer of La Boyita

Review

Sexual identity is discovered if not always entirely understood by young friends Jorgelina and Mario in this sun-splashed drama set in 1970s Argentina. Precocious Jorgelina leaves turmoil of her separating parents and adolescent sister to spend the summer in the lush countryside – to spend her days horseback riding and swimming with her childhood playmate Mario. But she soon begins to realize that Mario is not like the other boys. He is teased by farmhands and she soon not only becomes his protector, but his confident as well as Mario reveals to her that his body doesn’t look like pictures of either men or women. The girl becomes determined to understand both Mario’s condition and his family secrets. The dramatic and emotional tension between the two young friends is expressed subtly (using silent, eye contact and facial expression) as childhood innocence comes to an end. Beautifully shot and powerfully acted, the tender portrayal of an unusual but loving friendship despite much adversity makes the film memorable, honest and important statement about intersexuality. (Spanish with English subtitles)

-- Thom Cardwell

Keywords

Adolescence, Coming of Age, Drama, Family Life, Farm Boy, Friendship, Gender Issues, International, Parenting, Rural Life/Country, Schoolboy, Schoolgirl, Transgender/Transsexual

Genres

Drama, International, Trans/Transgender

Customer Reviews

Unexpected Changes

Amos Lassen wrote on 08/17/2010:

“The Last Summer of La Boyita” (“El último verano de la Boyita”)

Unexpected Changes

Amos Lassen

Young Jorgelina feels estranged from her boy-crazy older sister, who has entered adolescence and doesn't want to hand around with little kids anymore. Finding refuge in their Boyita camper-van, Jorgelina travels with her father to the countryside, where her lifelong playmate Mario is undergoing some unexpected changes of his own.
Jorgelina is a little girl who will spend the holidays with his father on a farm. There she makes friends with Mario and she notices a blood stain on the seat that they occupied . The stain will reveal such secrets for Mario and Jorgelina , which will lead them to a journey of discovery and of sexuality and build a great friendship.
The director, Julia Solomonoff, chose the path of subtlety and let pictures be worth a thousand words. We discover the story slowly and it holds our attention.
The two child actors are charming and were the right choices to bring lightness to a film dense. Another highlight is the girl's father, who is a caring person who is understandable and accountable despite the way he looks.
For many years, 12 -year-old Jorgelina had a deep friendship with her older sister, Luciana, but lately it seemed more and more distant. Suddenly , the guys a topic, the clothes - especially the more scarce - are borne significantly more often, and where the two exchanged earlier about everything , is suddenly knocked on more privacy. Sure, they see white as the daughter of a doctor from his books and observations about what's in front of him , but really they cannot do it yet . Therefore, Jorgelina also so disappointed when they travel only with their father in the holidays and spend time alone must be on the farm.
The story is mainly told from the perspective of Jorgelina with all of her cuteness and naiveté. It is a classic feel-good coming- of-age movie with a sympathetic leading lady and some very cute moments. However, it just looks at surface issues and if it had dealt with deeper issues, it would have been that much better.