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Something That Happened in a New Year

Name: Something That Happened in a New Year
Director: Jorge Pinarello
Released: 2022
Duration: 90 min

Representation Score

4.1/10

Fair

2022

Director

Jorge Pinarello

Runtime

90 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Jorge Pinarello’s film functions as a character-driven exploration of tension, using a thriller-horror framework to disrupt conventional holiday clichés. It finds strength in its domestic power dynamics and diverse casting profiles. However, the film lacks explicit multi-layered depth. Without clear evidence of queer identities or systemic social critiques, the narrative remains centered on interpersonal friction rather than broader progressive themes. Ultimately, the work offers a moderate level of inclusion through its female-led ensemble and non-Western casting, but it does not push into high-tier progressive territory.

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Category Breakdown

Does Something That Happened in a New Year have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film explores non-traditional relationships through a sensitive interpersonal framework. While the partner's specific identity isn't confirmed, the narrative avoids typical celebratory clichés.

How does Something That Happened in a New Year portray gender?

Fair

Female characters play a significant role in driving the central conflict. The ensemble's prominent placement suggests a challenge to traditional patriarchal leadership in thrillers and horrors.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Something That Happened in a New Year?

Fair

The cast includes actors with Latin American or Mediterranean backgrounds, providing a departure from Anglo-centric casting norms. However, specific ethnic intersections remain unverified.

How does Something That Happened in a New Year represent religion and culture?

Limited

The story uses a holiday setting to question the stability of the family unit. It focuses on subjective morality and social etiquette rather than overt religious or systemic critiques.

Does Something That Happened in a New Year include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no documented evidence regarding the inclusion of characters with visible or invisible disabilities in the current synopsis or cast list.

Present on Screen

Challenges traditional patriarchal leadership through a female-led ensemble.
Includes a cast with diverse Latin American and Mediterranean backgrounds.
Uses domestic settings to challenge standard holiday narrative clichés.

Limited or Absent

Lacks explicit confirmation of queer identities or non-assuming gender matches what was assigned at birth depictions.
Provides insufficient evidence of systemic or anti-capitalist social critiques.
Shows no documented representation of characters with disabilities.

Official Synopsis

María and Manuel have a plan, or rather two: spend New Year's at the house of Manuel's sister and her partner, and take the opportunity to ask them for a very delicate favor.

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