Frida Kahlo is now recognised as one of the most important and famous pop culture figures of the past 100 years. But while she gained more notoriety towards the end of her short life – she died at the age of 47 in 1954 – the Mexican painter’s work was mostly overlooked while she was alive.
Carla Gutierrez’s stunning and immersive documentary Frida does an incredible job of telling Kahlo’s remarkable story. Most of the dialogue used is from the artist’s letters, writings, and illustrated diaries and the documentary is told from her point of view, using her words, and from her perspective.
Gutierrez also uses animation to dive into Kahlo’s paintings, drawings, portraits, and self-portraits, which delightfully complement the voice-over of her innermost thoughts and desires. The result is an exploration of her work and life in a manner that most other documentaries could only dream of.
Of course, Gutierrez and her team are lucky that Kahlo left so much intimate and vulnerable material for them to use. But they utilise it in such a mesmeric and authentic manner that Kahlo fans will never have felt so close to the artist. Even people with just a passing knowledge of Kahlo will come away appreciating and understanding her life, her work, and the pain she endured and then depicted in her art.
With a running time of only 87 minutes, Frida indeed whooshes by with a verve and pace that ensures it’s always fascinating. There was so much to Kahlo, though, that Frida might actually have benefited from being longer. Certain aspects of her life – such as her politics, skills, legacy and death – aren’t given the attention viewers will be craving. Though it makes sense the latter two aren’t touched upon as much, considering the documentary is from Kahlo’s perspective.
What Frida does do, though, is give riveting insight into how Kahlo’s creativity and point of view were born. Gutierrez uses a mix of family photos and archival footage of Mexico City to show the influence of her father Guillermo, a photographer and atheist, who was the catalyst for Kahlo’s inquisitive, provocative, playful, honest, and empathetic outlook, all of which bled into her work.
Where Gutierrez’s direction really shines, though, is in the way she depicts the devastating bus accident that Kahlo was in at the age of 18 and the impact it had on her. This pushed Kahlo from being a medical student to becoming an artist. At the same time, her injuries were so severe that she suffered agony for the rest of her life and in her last few years she could barely stand or sit, needing to have her leg amputated.
In the sequences where we hear Kahlo, who is magnificently voiced by Fernanda Echeverria del Rivero, talking about her toil and discomfort, Gutierrez simultaneously dives into the intense and vibrant self-portraits she created, giving viewers a deeper comprehension of Kahlo’s pain, as well as a unique viewing experience.
Frida%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ECarla%20Gutierrez%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Frida%20Kahlo%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
It’s not all doom and gloom, though. While her marriage to the womanising Riviera was undeniably topsy-turvy, Kahlo’s honest thoughts on America while they visited there for his work are hilarious to hear. She had a huge disdain for high society, while the longer they stayed in the States, the more she couldn’t understand the entire country’s pursuit of materialism, especially considering that so many people were experiencing the Great Depression at the time.
Plus, the stories of her own affairs, her rebellious spirit in school, and her artistic recognition and growth during the late 1930s and 1940s show that Kahlo had a lust for life that was sadly hampered by her failing health. Frida doesn’t just bring her back to life, it allows her to tell her story in her own words, while highlighting why her work will forever be immortal.
Frida is now streaming on Amazon Prime globally
Quick%20facts
%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3EStorstockholms%20Lokaltrafik%20(SL)%20offers%20free%20guided%20tours%20of%20art%20in%20the%20metro%20and%20at%20the%20stations%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EThe%20tours%20are%20free%20of%20charge%3B%20all%20you%20need%20is%20a%20valid%20SL%20ticket%2C%20for%20which%20a%20single%20journey%20(valid%20for%2075%20minutes)%20costs%2039%20Swedish%20krone%20(%243.75)%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ETravel%20cards%20for%20unlimited%20journeys%20are%20priced%20at%20165%20Swedish%20krone%20for%2024%20hours%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EAvoid%20rush%20hour%20%E2%80%93%20between%209.30%20am%20and%204.30%20pm%20%E2%80%93%20to%20explore%20the%20artwork%20at%20leisure%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Traits of Chinese zodiac animals
Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
More on Quran memorisation:
match details
Wales v Hungary
Cardiff City Stadium, kick-off 11.45pm
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The years Ramadan fell in May
Read more from Aya Iskandarani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
The five pillars of Islam
The biog
Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia
Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins
Favourite dish: Grilled fish
Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed's visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.
More on animal trafficking
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
All%20We%20Imagine%20as%20Light
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPayal%20Kapadia%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Kani%20Kusruti%2C%20Divya%20Prabha%2C%20Chhaya%20Kadam%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
THREE
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Nayla%20Al%20Khaja%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Jefferson%20Hall%2C%20Faten%20Ahmed%2C%20Noura%20Alabed%2C%20Saud%20Alzarooni%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The years Ramadan fell in May
More on Quran memorisation:
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
The years Ramadan fell in May
Points to remember
- Debate the issue, don't attack the person
- Build the relationship and dialogue by seeking to find common ground
- Express passion for the issue but be aware of when you're losing control or when there's anger. If there is, pause and take some time out.
- Listen actively without interrupting
- Avoid assumptions, seek understanding, ask questions
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
How to vote
Canadians living in the UAE can register to vote online and be added to the International Register of Electors.
They'll then be sent a special ballot voting kit by mail either to their address, the Consulate General of Canada to the UAE in Dubai or The Embassy of Canada in Abu Dhabi
Registered voters mark the ballot with their choice and must send it back by 6pm Eastern time on October 21 (2am next Friday)
Company profile
Name: Oulo.com
Founder: Kamal Nazha
Based: Dubai
Founded: 2020
Number of employees: 5
Sector: Technology
Funding: $450,000
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The five pillars of Islam
Zakat definitions
Zakat: an Arabic word meaning ‘to cleanse’ or ‘purification’.
Nisab: the minimum amount that a Muslim must have before being obliged to pay zakat. Traditionally, the nisab threshold was 87.48 grams of gold, or 612.36 grams of silver. The monetary value of the nisab therefore varies by current prices and currencies.
Zakat Al Mal: the ‘cleansing’ of wealth, as one of the five pillars of Islam; a spiritual duty for all Muslims meeting the ‘nisab’ wealth criteria in a lunar year, to pay 2.5 per cent of their wealth in alms to the deserving and needy.
Zakat Al Fitr: a donation to charity given during Ramadan, before Eid Al Fitr, in the form of food. Every adult Muslim who possesses food in excess of the needs of themselves and their family must pay two qadahs (an old measure just over 2 kilograms) of flour, wheat, barley or rice from each person in a household, as a minimum.
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Results
United States beat UAE by three wickets
United States beat Scotland by 35 runs
UAE v Scotland – no result
United States beat UAE by 98 runs
Scotland beat United States by four wickets
Fixtures
Sunday, 10am, ICC Academy, Dubai - UAE v Scotland
Admission is free
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Charlotte Gainsbourg
Rest
(Because Music)
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Frida%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ECarla%20Gutierrez%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Frida%20Kahlo%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
