The teaser trailer for “Thesis on a Domestication” (“Tesis sobre una domesticación”), directed by Argentine filmmaker Javier Van de Couter, highlights the intersection of domestic life, career challenges, and personal trauma. The film is produced by Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna through their production company, La Corriente del Golfo.
Set to compete for the Q Hugo Award, the film will premiere as part of the LGBTQ+ Outlook program at the Chicago International Film Festival, running from October 16 to 27, before moving on to the Morelia Film Festival.
Produced alongside Laura Huberman of Aurora Cine, Ramiro Pavón from Oh My Gomez! Films, and members of La Corriente del Golfo, the film champions bold narratives in Latin cinema. The narrative is based on an upcoming novel by acclaimed transgender author Camila Sosa Villada, which Riverhead Books will publish in English in 2026. Sosa Villada’s previous work, “Las Malas,” has received multiple prestigious awards.
The screenplay, co-written by Sosa Villada, Van de Couter, and Huberman, follows a famous transgender actress navigating the complexities of her past while pursuing a bright future. Van de Couter emphasized the significance of adapting a story created by a trans person for a trans audience. He remarked, “It was a privilege to work with Camila. We wanted to retain the vitality and poetry of the novel during the adaptation.”
Van de Couter had previously cast Sosa Villada in his debut film, “Mía,” which received accolades at various film festivals. In “Thesis on a Domestication,” Sosa Villada stars alongside Alfonso Herrera, who plays her supportive love interest, a Mexican lawyer. Their relationship explores themes of love, commitment, and the challenges of parenthood.
The trailer showcases scenes of celebration, romance, and the lead character’s journey toward self-acceptance. It contrasts her domestic life with her desire for personal freedom, highlighting the urban landscape of Buenos Aires and the natural beauty of her rural hometown.
Van de Couter explained that the protagonist’s choices reflect her struggle to balance different aspects of her life, often at odds with societal expectations. He noted, “These decisions reveal her attempts to hold onto her wild essence amid pressures to conform. Her past threatens her achievements, but living on that edge empowers her.”
“Thesis on a Domestication” presents a nuanced perspective on life, suggesting that authenticity is the greatest form of rebellion against societal norms. It allows the complexities of trans experiences—pain, joy, and triumph—to coexist without apology.
Van de Couter highlighted the importance of diverse representation in cinema, stating, “We need films that portray trans lives authentically, without reduction to mere spectacle or pity. The presence of a transgender person in front of the camera creates a unique, poetic impact that is deeply fulfilling to witness.”
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