You are here:

The Other Side

Name: The Other Side
Director: Rodrigo Álvarez Flores
Released: 2017
Duration: 15 min

Representation Score

6.1/10

Good

2017

Director

Rodrigo Álvarez Flores

Runtime

15 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

The film succeeds by making a queer romance the central driver of the plot rather than a secondary subplot. By placing this relationship within the high-stakes environment of a border, the story connects personal identity to a larger struggle against systemic constraints. However, the representation remains somewhat narrow. The focus on two male leads limits the exploration of broader gender dynamics, and the lack of specific casting details makes it hard to assess the depth of racial diversity. Ultimately, the work functions as a meaningful piece of storytelling that avoids including someone from a minority group without giving them real depth by centering underrepresented experiences within a high-stakes dramatic framework.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does The Other Side have LGBTQ+ representation?

Excellent

The film centers its entire narrative around a queer relationship between Felipe and Claudio. This relationship gives the protagonists significant influence over the story's development, making their identity the main driver of the dramatic tension.

How does The Other Side portray gender?

Fair

The story focuses on the interactions between two male leads. While it challenges traditional gender roles, it is unclear whether the film goes beyond familiar masculine hierarchies or adheres to conventional romantic formulas.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Other Side?

Good

The setting involves border dynamics suggesting a non-Anglo-Saxon context. However, the film lacks a clearly defined multi-ethnic cast, limiting the assessment of racial diversity.

How does The Other Side represent religion and culture?

Good

The narrative criticizes social and institutional pressures by framing the protagonist's journey as risky. It prioritizes individual freedom over the preservation of traditional social or nationalist structures.

Does The Other Side include disability representation?

Minimal

The film contains no evidence of characters with visible or invisible disabilities.

Present on Screen

Centers a queer relationship as the primary driver of the narrative tension.
Avoids including someone from a minority group without giving them real depth by making LGBTQ+ identity the core of the plot.
Uses the border setting as a powerful metaphor for navigating systemic obstacles.

Limited or Absent

Lacks sufficient evidence regarding the subversion of masculine hierarchies.
Provides limited visibility into a multi-ethnic ensemble or diverse casting.
Does not address disability representation within the narrative.

Official Synopsis

Felipe and Claudio have a unique relationship. Somehow destiny pulls them apart and sets Felipe on a journey where he will risk everything in his pursuit of happiness.

How are these scores produced? →