I saw an amazing film at AFI fest this week called "Manuela y Manuel" (in Spanish with subtitles). Puerto Rican filmmaker Raul Marchand has created a fantastic romp that is a new twist on the old "Victor Victoria" story, only in this film the drag queens are real, the singing is fake and the emotional connection to the characters is deep. From the first shot the viewer can't help but fall in love with drag queen Manuela because we can all relate to her/his broken heart. The film explores how we all crave love and the sacrifices we make if there is just a hope of getting it, all while keeping the audience laughing and completely charmed. Chock full of fantastic performances, elegant camera movement, stylish costumes, fun musical numbers, wacky characters and a charming story that will leave you smiling, director Marchand proves with "Manuela y Manuel" that you don't need much money to make a great film. If you hurry you may be able to catch it at AFI Fest at the Arclight.
+ Craig Nisker's film: The Green Goddess
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