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The Banished

Name: The Banished
Director: David Bohórquez
Released: 2019
Duration: 90 min

Representation Score

7.4/10

Good

2019

Director

David Bohórquez

Runtime

90 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

The Banished stands out through a grounded, harrowing exploration of disability and the deconstruction of domestic stability. By centering a disabled man and a female protagonist driven by ability to act, the film moves away from traditional, idealized character archetypes. However, the film lacks clear markers of LGBTQ+ or racial diversity. The narrative focus remains largely on the psychological and systemic trauma within a specific familial structure, leaving other multi-layered identities unaddressed. Ultimately, the work succeeds as a character-centric study that uses trauma to challenge conventional social institutions, even if its broader demographic representation remains limited.

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Category Breakdown

Does The Banished have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film does not explicitly confirm any LGBTQ+ identities or include non-straight characters. While it explores broken relationships, there is no clear representation of LGBTQ+ lives.

How does The Banished portray gender?

Fair

A terminally ill female protagonist drives the plot, acting as the primary catalyst for the investigation. Her actions disrupt traditional, passive gender roles.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Banished?

Fair

The setting in Upstate New York provides a neutral baseline for ethnic diversity. Without specific details on the cast's composition, the film's racial diversity remains unconfirmed.

How does The Banished represent religion and culture?

Good

The story critiques the nuclear family by portraying it as a source of horror and abandonment. This deconstructs the traditional Western ideal of the sanctified family unit.

Does The Banished include disability representation?

Good

The film centers on a disabled protagonist, integrating his condition into a complex character arc. It avoids superficial clichés by focusing on the intersection of disability and trauma.

Present on Screen

Meaningful representation of a disabled protagonist integrated into the core narrative.
Strong women's ability to drive the story through a protagonist who drives the central investigation.
Effective critique of the traditional nuclear family as a site of trauma.

Limited or Absent

Lack of overt LGBTQ+ representation or non-straight identities.
Unclear ethnic and racial diversity within the Upstate New York setting.
Limited evidence of diverse cultural or religious perspectives beyond the family unit.

Official Synopsis

A disabled man is haunted by the torture he suffered as a child when his terminally ill half-sister returns to their small Upstate New York town seeking answers to why their mother abandoned her 40 years before, which sets them both on a tragic and horrific journey.

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