A cisgender woman was cast as a transgender woman in Lola Pater, a French film that screened recently at the Locarno Film Festival.

The film is directed by Nadir Moknèche and stars Fanny Ardant, Tewfik Jallab, Nadia Kaci.

The synopsis for the film: “When his mother dies, Zino decides to find his father, Farid. But 25 years ago, Farid became Lola…”

From the review in The Hollywood Reporter:

One could question director Moknech’s decision to not use a real trans person to play Lola, although in his defense there are probably zero trans stars in France who could get such a movie financed. Perhaps more problematic is the choice to use the very French-looking and sounding Ardant to play a character who, before her transformation, was an Algerian man named Farid Chekib.

I suppose the transgender community can consider it a win that the role went to a cis woman, Fanny Ardant, rather than a cis male—the latter of which leads to more damaging repercussions with everything it implies.  It is positive to see a film in which a trans role is given the leading role.  It’s just a bummer that this role has been cast to an actress who isn’t transgender.

Lola Pater screened last week at the Locarno Film Festival.  Doc & Film International is handling world sales for the drama.  There is no word yet on a distributor in the US.