A long time South American bastion of conservatism, Chile seems to be redefining itself as a modern and progressive country, having elected a woman, Michelle Bachelet, as president, and shifted its portrayal of gay characters from stereotypes into well-rounded figures. It is precisely on the election day of the country’s first female head-of-state that Muñeca begins. The adorable and demure Pedro is a shy young gay man who shares his home with his best friend Manuel, a straight womanizer who is only concerned about himself. Manuel has organized an afternoon barbeque that’s doubling as a blind date for Pedro. When the afternoon’s ‘special guest’ arrives, shocking surprises come one after another. Not only is the blind date a woman, but she’s looking for someone to father her child…and Manuel has presented Pedro as the ‘ideal’ candidate! When Loli, the college freshman, who Manuel is trying to bed, arrives and becomes the key to unlocking the past, the tension escalates and we are in for even more surprises. Equal parts drama and comedy, Muñeca is a tender film about friendship, acceptance, love and our search for all three. Starring the always adorable Chilean star Benjamin Vicuña and Goya Award winner Ana Fernandez, Muñeca is a testament to how the Chilean film community has proven that is is possible to make gay characters interesting and humorous while not being homophobic. Like last year’s hit Lokas, Chile brings us another touching look at relationships and family. In Spanish with English subtitles

— Kareem Tabsch