‘Ma Vie en Rose (My Life in Pink)’ is a transgender movie relevant today

In 1998, writer/director Alain Berliner took home the Golden Globe for the Best Foreign Language Film of 1997. The movie Ma Vie en Rose — or My Life in Pink — was among the first films to explore transgenderism.

And Berliner does it brilliantly.

With too many people and media focusing on Caitlin Jenner, transgender is now a hot topic. So a film from 1997 is even more relevant in 2015. Those who have listened and seen Jenner’s description of his decision and his struggle as a youth can relate it to the film’s main character, Ludovic.

The writers of the movie never say, but the boy choosing to be a girl is about 10. His choice — and saying he’s going to marry his dad’s boss’ son — puts him and his family in conflict with their new neighborhood. After his outing, the parents bounce from being outraged to supportive.

Kudos must be given to Georges Du Fresne. The kid is good. He convinces the viewer that he’s a girl in a boy’s body. Michelle Laroque and Jean-Philippe Ecoffey, who play his parents, are also good.

Berliner’s movie is an exceptional piece of work. His use of color, camera and casting choices make the last film in the Battelle Film Club’s Spring series a must see.

This story was originally published June 25, 2015 at 11:54 AM with the headline "‘Ma Vie en Rose (My Life in Pink)’ is a transgender movie relevant today."