Lola and the Sea: Watch the film to understand the transition and question of identity

In recent times, gender and specifically LGBTIQ+ issues have increasingly become a matter of concern globally, but also in Nepali society. This is also the topic depicted in Belgian director Laurent Micheli ’s 2019 film Lola and the Sea , in which the titular character (Lola) is rediscovering herself as a trans woman. The plot starts with her decision, to turn from Lionel into Lola, which separates her from the family so much that due to the conflict with her father, she ends up missing the funeral of her mother Catherine.

The female lead, played by newcomer Mya Bollaers , and her father Philippe ( Benoît Magimel ) unwillingly go together on a road trip to fulfil Catherine’s last wish for her ashes to be dispersed into the sea near her childhood home. On this journey, their relationship gradually transforms and their personalities are revealed.