The Danish Girl (15) : Ely Cinema tickets available on the door
Tickets for 13th March available online and on-the-door only.
Tickets available on the door from 7pm
Director: Tom Hooper.
Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Alicia Vikander, Ben Whishaw. UK/Germany/USA 2015. 120 mins.
Reunited with Les Misérables director Tom Hooper, Eddie Redmayne follows his Oscar-winning turn as Stephen Hawking with a yet more extraordinary transformation based on a true story.
With the encouragement of his artist wife Gerda (Vikander, Ex Machina, Testament Of Youth), Einar Wegener began a groundbreaking process of gender transition in the 1930s to become Lili Elbe. With his utterly convincing portrayal of Einar/Lili, Redmayne brilliantly negotiates the psychological road map required to make the journey, aided by Gerda’s supportive pragmatism.
Of course it’s a tough ride with a dubious medical establishment, and threats to their marriage are not helped by a potential suitor (Whishaw) coming on strong to Lili. As with his The King’s Speech, Hooper’s film is lushly photographed by Danny Cohen, and suffused with sympathy for its complex characters.