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Lightning Falls Behind

Name: Lightning Falls Behind
Director: Julio Hernández Cordón
Released: 2017
Duration: 82 min

Representation Score

9.2/10

Excellent

2017

Director

Julio Hernández Cordón

Runtime

82 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Julio Hernández Cordón presents a sophisticated, non-linear exploration of youth identity and desire. By treating identity as a fluid concept, the film delves deeply into the human experience. The film succeeds by prioritizing authentic, localized voices and a specific Central American setting. It avoids global stereotypes and challenges conventional cinematic expectations through its postmodern structure and rejection of traditional moralistic frameworks. While the film excels in LGBTQ+ and racial representation, it does not specifically engage with disability representation, maintaining a neutral stance in this area.

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Category Breakdown

Does Lightning Falls Behind have LGBTQ+ representation?

Excellent

The film challenges traditional views by focusing on the fluid nature of adolescent desires. Queer attraction is shown as a natural part of the characters' self-discovery.

How does Lightning Falls Behind portray gender?

Good

Sole and Ana play key roles in driving the story, rather than being passive figures. The film explores complex teenage relationships and gender dynamics.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Lightning Falls Behind?

Excellent

The film features a mostly Guatemalan and Latin American cast, giving characters a strong sense of cultural identity. It avoids stereotypical representations by setting the story in a specific Central American context.

How does Lightning Falls Behind represent religion and culture?

Good

The narrative emphasizes personal morality and situational ethics over traditional religious teachings. It focuses on the lived experiences and instincts of young people.

Does Lightning Falls Behind include disability representation?

Fair

There are no characters with visible or invisible disabilities that significantly impact the story. The representation in this area is neutral.

Present on Screen

The film casts actors from authentic Central American backgrounds, avoiding whitewashing.
Queer attraction is portrayed as a natural part of adolescent identity exploration.
Female protagonists take active roles and provide emotional depth.

Limited or Absent

The film lacks representation of characters with visible or invisible disabilities.
Its fragmented, postmodern structure might feel aimless to viewers seeking traditional moral frameworks.

Official Synopsis

Hernandez had already made films in Guatemala and Mexico and this time found inspiring locations, unusual atmosphere and enthusiastic young people in Costa Rica. In this consciously unpolished film, the rebellious girls Sole and Ana open the trunk of a car in grandma’s garden and find something they’d rather immediately forget.

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