It’s not often you get a female perspective on the USSR, much less a female artist with little means. Signe Baumane’s autobiographical My Love Affair With Marriage is one of the few ones, and not only is her story raw and refreshing, it’s also told through lovely animation and musical numbers. The result is something truly novel. Baumane analyzes ideas like love, marriage, gender, and society through an unapologetically feminist lens. But she’s careful not to be patronizing too. Instead of condemning her circumstances, she gives it context and shows empathy. Some parts are delightful, others distressing, but Baumane’s character (voiced by Succession’s Dagmara Dominczyk) is compelling throughout.
Synopsis
From an early age, songs and fairytales convinced Zelma that Love would solve all her problems as long as she abided by societal expectations of how a girl should act. But as she grew older something didn't seem right with the concept of love: the more she tried to conform, the more her body resisted. A story about the acceptance of the inner female rebellion.
Storyline
Zelma comes of age during a difficult time in Latvia, where women are taught they should aspire for marriage and serve their husbands. Determined to find real love, she carves a path of her own.
TLDR
It marries plenty of genres and ideas—animation, musical, political, personal, and even scientific at certain points, but it works. It stays light on its feet till the end.
What stands out
Baumane signature style—a combination of real sets and animated drawings—always makes for a lovely watch. Also, this film has one of he realest representations I’ve seen of menstruation.
