My Love Affair With Marriage
From an early age, songs and fairytales convinced Zelma that Love would solve all her problems as long as she abided by societal expectations of how a girl should act. But as she grew older something didn’t seem right with the concept of love: the more she tried to conform, the more her body resisted. A story about the acceptance of the inner female rebellion.
A musical evolution of one girl’s journey into womanhood, navigating every cliché influence thrown at her from birth. 2D and stop motion animation illustrate Zelma’s life and thoughts. The film charms you with a mix of science and storytelling. Zelma narrates her journey like diary entries performed at a read-aloud. They are honest, funny, and universally relatable. Viewers will grin from ear to ear and nod knowingly. “Biology” explains how Zelma’s chemistry simultaneously affects her actions and reactions.
The musical numbers are snappy and frequent. The lyrics allow those clichés to become confessions of the ridiculous patriarchal structures. They are predominantly performed by three women, akin to muses, following Zelma through life. The nonsensical expectations of society, combined with the hardwiring of a woman’s brain, create an incredible insight into our behavior.
I am a big fan of Signe Baumane‘s film Rocks In My Pockets. I was delighted to see My Love Affair With Marriage on Tribeca 2022 slate. This film is something special. It’s unafraid to reveal our innermost thoughts, fears, hopes, regrets, mistakes, and dreams. It celebrates unfiltered authenticity with clever writing and delightful visuals. It’s an outstanding feminist film that will undoubtedly win over audiences everywhere.
https://www.tribecafilm.com/films/my-love-affair-with-marriage-2022
RT: 107 minutes
Sunday, 06/19/2022, 4:00 PM at VEC-05 – 3rd Screening
Director & Screenwriter: Signe Baumane
Cast: Dagmara Domicnik (“Succession,” “We Are The City”), Matthew Modine (“Stranger Things”), Emma Kenney (“Shameless,” “The Conners”), Cameron Monagha (“Shameless”) and Stephen Lang (Avatar 1-4)
Producers: Roberts Vinovskis, Sturgis Warner, Signe Baumane, Raoul Nadalet
Executive Producers: Matthew Modine, Adam Rackoff, John Jencks
On the heels of his beautiful script for Nebraska, writer/director Bob Nelson brings heart and levity to what might otherwise seem to be a mundane scenario. The estrangement of an alcoholic father and his young son is nothing new, but by adding a religious element to the mix, it makes for a funny and honest look into the innocence of a child’s mind. Clive Owen‘s portrayal of Walt is raw and real. You empathize with his struggle to do right by his son. Speaking of Anthony, St. Vincent prodigy Jaeden Lieberher is, once again, a star. His purity in presence and intention glow as a young boy thrust into religion by his Mother. Caught in between parents of opposite end spectrum, he is an old soul, yet is constantly discovering when it is okay to push social boundaries. Owen and Lieberher are a perfect pairing. Nelson’s script allows both actors to take the reins as the story progresses. Each character has the opportunity to emotionally care for the other in a truly lovely dynamic.
The subtlety of the film is what makes it so successful. In an era of overblown CGI fare, Bob Nelson gives us an honest to goodness family story. The Confirmation is a joy.
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