NZIFF: Jimpa

A filmmaker balances her outspoken father and a boundary-pushing teenager while working on her latest screenplay that only she believes in, in Sophie Hyde's heartfelt, queer family drama.

Olivia Colman and John Lithgow star in Sophie Hyde's semi-autobiographical Jimpa, a funny and endearing story that tackles how identity is informed and affirmed by those closest to us. Filmmaker Hannah (Colman), along with her non-binary teenager Frances (Aud Mason-Hyde), travel to the Netherlands to visit the titular Jimpa (Lithgow), Hannah's father and an HIV-positive academic. When Frances declares they wish to stay with Jimpa for a year, Hannah is hesitant. Working on her latest screenplay, a tribute to her dad, Hannah ruminates on her past and considers her approach to parenting.

Inspired by her upbringing with a gay rights activist father, Hyde (Animals, NZIFF 2019) constructs an intimate portrayal of a well-meaning yet demanding unconventional family as they consider the art of letting go. Set against the backdrop of a progressive Amsterdam, the modern city complements conversations around sex, gender, pronouns and polyamory, making for animated and often amusing debate.

Both a love letter to 1980s gay activists and an inspiration to the younger queer community, Jimpa's raw, emotional intimacy will resonate with anyone who has ever felt conflicted about their place in the world.

Phone: 06 835 7781

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