Her cocoon was a body cast
Frida is an unabashed look at icon and artist, Frida Kahlo.
Part documentary, part fiction, part artistic masterpiece, Frida gives us a glimpse into the life, the art work, and the mind of a most incredible woman.
The film opens with a teen-aged Frida, wild and curious.
We are immediately introduced to her boyfriend, her father (with whom she had a very close relationship), and the rest of her family.
We see the family dynamics, her father’s artistry in photography that is passed down to her through her painting. We see a life that is bold, colorful, and rich. Early on in the story, we are also introduced to a life-changing event in Frida’s life: a trolley accident that leaves her scarred and slightly disabled (it is also important to note that at age 6, she had contracted Polio, so Frida always had a bit of a limp).
The movie then focuses on her unusual and tumultuous relationship with Diego Rivera. They meet initially when he is painting a piece at the school she attends. Despite the age difference, there is an instant connection.
After she has recovered from the trolley accident, Frida finds Diego to ask him for his opinion on her work. That meeting begins a life time of memories, both good and bad. From their politics (they were both very supportive of communism, and even took in Leon Trotsky and his wife when their lives were in danger) to their scandalous marriage, through art and storytelling, we witness love, hate, anger, betrayal, success, and heartbreak.
Throughout the movie, subtle hints of Frida’s gender identity and orientation are dropped. Through her paintings that exaggerate her unibrow, to family portraits where she wears a suit, Frida is not your typical woman of the 1930s. Later on in the film, we get a glimpse of her sexuality, seeing vignettes of various sexual encounters with women and men. Though she never formally labels herself, she does not hide the fact that she is clearly bisexual.
Salma Hayek brilliantly portrays Frida Kahlo. Alfred Molina plays Diego. The entire film is chock full of gems with actors such Roger Rees as her father Guillermo Kahlo, as Antonio Banderas playing David Alfaro Siqueiros, Edward Norton as Nelson Rockefeller, and Geoffrey Rush as Leon Trotsky.
Frida dives deeply into the life and mind of one the of the world’s greatest artists, and most famous members of the LGBT community. Raw, artistic, sensual, and emotional, Frida is a movie that touches you deeply.