Orlando, My Political Biography

The film follows Paul B. Preciado and a group of trans and non-binary people as they reinterpret Virginia Woolf's novel Orlando: A Biography. Through personal testimonies, reenactments, and staged scenes, the participants connect Orlando's story with their own experiences of gender and transition.

Blurring the lines between reality and fiction, Preciado expands Virginia Woolf's novel Orlando: A Biography, in which the main character changes gender midway through the story to become a 36-year-old woman. Preciado organized a casting and brought together 26 contemporary trans and non-binary people to each play Orlando. Preciado reconstructs the stages of his personal transformation through authentic voices, writings, and images in the search of the truth. "Every Orlando", he says, "is a transgender person who is risking his, her or their life on a daily basis as they find themselves forced to confront government laws, history and psychiatry, as well as traditional notions of the family and the power of multinational pharmaceutical companies." The film emphasizes that "if 'male' and 'female' are ultimately political and social fictions, then that change is no longer just about gender, but also about poetry, love and skin colour."^[6][7]

Originally, ARTE France reached out to Preciado in hopes of producing a documentary focused on his work as a philosopher. Preciado rejected the idea and instead jokingly suggested that the film should be an adaptation of Virginia Woolf's Orlando: A Biography in an attempt to shut down the conversation. To his surprise, ARTE France agreed and asked Preciado to make the film.^[8]

• Oscar (Rosza) S Miller (Orlando)
• Janis Sahraoui (Orlando)
• Liz Christin (Orlando)
• Elios Levy (Orlando)
• Victor Marzouk (Orlando)
• Paul B. Preciado (Orlando)
• Kori Ceballos (Orlando)
• Vanasay Khamphommala (Orlando)
• Ruben Rizza (Orlando)
• Julia Postollec (Orlando)
• Amir Baylly (Orlando)
• Naëlle Dariya (Orlando)
• Jenny Bel’Air (Orlando)
• Emma Avena (Orlando)
• Lillie (Orlando)
• Arthur (Orlando)
• Eleonore (Orlando)
• La Bourette (Orlando)
• Noam Iroual (Orlando)
• Iris Crosnier (Orlando)
• Clara Deshayes (Orlando)
• Castiel Emery (Sasha)
• Frédéric Pierrot (Psychiatrist)
• Nathan Callot (Armory Salesman)
• Pierre et Gilles (Doctors)
• Tristana Gray Martyr (Goddess of Hormones)
• Le Filip (Goddess of Gender Fucking)
• Miss Drinks (Goddess of Insurrection)
• Tom Dekel (Receptionist)
• Virginie Despentes (Judge)
• Rilke & Pompom (Orlando's Dogs)

It had its world premiere on 18 February 2023 in Encounter at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival.^[9]

On 2 February 2023 it was reported that Paris-based sales company The Party Film Sales has acquired world rights of the film.^[10] On 7 March 2023, it was reported that Sideshow and Janus Films bought the right of the film for North America. They are planning a theatrical release after screening of the film at high-profile festivals in North America.^[11] It was invited to Horizons section of 57th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, where it was screened on 30 June 2023.^[12] The film is also invited to the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival in Wavelengths section.^[13] It will also be screened at the 2023 Atlantic International Film Festival in Documentaries section on 16 September 2023.^[14] The film also made it to 'Zabaltegi-Tabakalera' section of the 71st San Sebastián International Film Festival and screened on 23 September 2023.^[15][16]

The documentary was also invited to the 2023 Vancouver International Film Festival in 'Spectrum' section and was screened on 28 September 2023.^[17] The film also made it to the 2023 New York Film Festival in the Main Slate, and was screened on 3 October 2023;^[18][19] and to the 18th Rome Film Festival, where it was screened in the same month.^[20]

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 94% based on 50 reviews, with an average rating of 7.3/10. The website's critics consensus reads: "A playful documentary with a poetic spirit, Orlando, My Political Biography uses a seminal novel as the framework for an exploration of personal identity"^[21]

Fabien Lemercier reviewing for Cineuropa praised the film and wrote, "I can say is that the hair-raising, super-inventive, intelligent and funny film doesn't disappoint." Appreciating the director Preciado's creativity, Lemercier stated, "he extrapolates Virginia Woolf's tale with intellectual agility and cinematographic creativity and ultimately offering up an artisanal, philosophical, modern, and highly appealing vehicle for his activism."^[22] Laura Venning rated the film 4 out of 5 and wrote, "Paul B. Preciado's metatextual grappling with Virginia Woolf's novel is a playful and moving exploration of gender identity." Closing her review, Venning opined thar the film is "rightfully destined to become an enduring piece of trans filmmaking."^[23] Redmond Bacon of Journey Into Cinema praised the film in general but felt it was a little stagey and repetitive in parts. Concluding his review Bacon wrote, "the final thesis is undeniably moving, ... this excellent film shows the power of imagination to potentially change the world."^[24]