You are here:

Rara

Name: Rara
Director: Pepa San Martín
Released: 2016
Duration: 88 min

Representation Score

6.9/10

Good

2016

Not Rated

Director

Pepa San Martín

Runtime

88 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Rara offers a nuanced exploration of non-traditional family structures and socioeconomic exclusion. By centering a queer-led household in rural Chile, the film challenges conventional straight-centered and patriarchal norms. The film excels in its authentic portrayal of mestizo identity and the realities of rural poverty. It presents a complex picture of resilience in the face of systemic neglect and evolving adolescent identities. While it provides deep insights into these issues, it lacks representation of physical or neurodivergent disabilities.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does Rara have LGBTQ+ representation?

Good

The film focuses on a household led by a mother and her female partner, showing their relationship as part of everyday life rather than a spectacle. It highlights societal friction rather than internal LGBTQ dynamics.

How does Rara portray gender?

Good

Women play key roles in providing stability and emotional support in this underrepresented environment. The story explores female adolescence and bodily autonomy while challenging traditional patriarchal structures.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Rara?

Excellent

The film features a predominantly Chilean/mestizo cast that accurately reflects the rural setting. It avoids whitewashing and explores identities outside urban, Westernized contexts.

How does Rara represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The story critiques systemic economic structures and rural poverty. It emphasizes localized morality over Western institutional norms, portraying the family's survival as a response to systemic neglect.

Does Rara include disability representation?

Minimal

There are no prominent depictions of physical or neurodivergent disabilities that serve as central narrative drivers.

Present on Screen

Authentic Chilean/mestizo casting reflecting the rural setting.
Integration of queer identity into everyday life.
Critique of systemic socioeconomic structures and poverty.
Portrayal of empowered maternal figures.

Limited or Absent

Representation of physical or neurodivergent disabilities.

Official Synopsis

Since their parents split up, Sara and her younger sister live with their mother, whose new partner is a woman. Everyday life for the four of them is hardly any different than it is for other families. But not everyone sees it that way – Sara's father in particular has his doubts. As Sara’s 13th birthday approaches, she feels rather overwhelmed: her first crush, a body in the midst of changes and to top it off, conflicts over loyalty with her parents.

How are these scores produced? →