MISS

France, 2020, 107 minutes, Colour.
Alexandre Wetter, Pascal Arbillot, Isabelle Nanty, Thibault de Montalambert, Stefi Celma, Quentin Faure.
Directed by Ruben Alves.

This is an imaginative tale, almost contemporary fairytale, about a young boy whose ambition was to be Miss France. It is a film about gender identity, a boy with female and feminine sensibilities, self-discovery, self-assertion. At the end, when asked about his bid to become Miss France, Alexandre replies that he wanted to be in touch with his female side.

The central character, Alexandre, is played by Alexandre Wetter, quite persuasively. The actor has the advantage of his build (although the competition personnel comment on his rugby shoulders and his large shoe size), his appearance, so that he can pass without too much difficulty as female.

The fairytale has a background of a commune in Paris, a home, streets, the local gym where Alexandre works as a cleaner, a very ordinary background and, with the characters who live in the commune, multicultural. They are presided over by an older woman, tough spoken, Yolande, who is something of a surrogate mother. There is also something of a surrogate mother in a cross-dressing elderly prostitute who lives in the commune, Lola, who gives sympathetic support and, at times, wise advice.

When Alexandre decides that he wants to be Miss France, he auditions successfully, is able to transform himself into Alexandra, and gets the advice of a school friend who is now a champion boxer, trains physically, self-assertion, Lola getting advice from an older woman about Alexandra’s presentation as female, so that when the competition for the local Miss Ile de France takes place, Alexandra wins, becoming eligible to move forward to the Miss France competition.

There is a lot of background about many of the candidates for the competition, especially Miss Corsica, who shares a room with Alexandra, discovers her secret but does not divulge the truth. Then there is Amanda who presides over the competition, who seems to have worked out Alexandra’s secret and continues to challenge her as well as support her.

Many scenes of rehearsals, many fashion sequences, the contrast where it is decided that the competitors should take on a conservation theme and they go to work, and photo opportunities, on collecting rubbish on Belgian beaches.

There are some emotional crises, Alexandra’s nervousness, TV interviews with the family and her exclusion of Lola and then apologising, Yolande’s collapse which means that the commune friends have to watch the final competition from the hospital.

It is no surprise or spoiler to know that Alexandra wins – but it is standing on the stage, her speech, self-revelation, boos and applause which make a final impact.

More interesting and enjoyable than might have been anticipated.

1. Title? Miss France? Ambition? For Alexandre? Male contestant? Testing who he was? In touch with his femininity?

2. The Paris settings, the city, the streets, the commune, the gym? The offices for the competition? Television? Rehearsals, competition? The visit to Belgium, the coast, environmental activities? The musical score, accompanying songs?

3. Alexandre’s story, as a little boy, his love for his parents, car crash, his grief, his memories of them later, telling Elias? During his acceptance speech?

4. The children in class, their ambitions, laughing at Alexandre? His memory of this? His orphanage experience, going to the commune, Yolande and her care, the friendship with the various people in the commune, sharing his room? At the gym, cleaning the toilets? The meeting with Elias?

5. The friendship with Lola? Lola, age, in drag, prostitute on the streets, with the customers, the charges, insulting the man in the car? At home, the female style? Place in the group in the commune, supportive of Alexandra, the quest? Later getting the job as a beautician, getting angry with the proprietor, going into business? Alexandra keeping her out of the television interview, hurt, in the street, Alexandra dressed for the street, Lola taking her back home?

6. Yolande, collecting the rent, tough, the rooms, the meals, her clothes, headdress? Her blindness about the competitions, a feminist criticism? Blunt on television? Blunt with Amanda? For the final television program? Her collapse, hospital, Alexandra delayed, Yolande providing, watching the competition?

7. The friends, the Indian women, their work, qualifications elsewhere, boarding in the commune? The two men, ethnic backgrounds, life in comments? Supportive of Alexandra?

8. The meeting with Elias? In the diner, his acceptance of Alexandra? Her request for him to train her, self-assertion, physical development? The others helping in her training, poise, style, dressing?

9. The audition for the application, the range of women presenting, capable, some satire on some of their presentations? The auditioning group?

10. Alexandra, presentation, dress, manner of speaking, story, accepted in the list? The details of the grooming for the competition, comment on physical appearance, size, height, wearing the corset (and the advice of the makeover and the heavy cost), shoe size, shoulders? Voice? The experiences of make up, the range of dresses to be worn, style?

11. Relationship with the other women, their presentations, the competition for the local quest, Alexandra and her success?

12. The role of Amanda, in charge, the president, his criticisms and threats? Her liking for Alexandra, knowing the truth, urging her on, emotional response? The private talks, encouragement, not opting out, the embrace and the hotel corridor? Alexandra being late, the reprimands, the training?

13. Everybody happy with Alexandra winning Miss Ile de France? The consequences, training for Miss France? The excursion, the disappointment in going to Belgium, on the beach, cleaning, posing, rubbish disposal, the filming?

14. The strong sequence of Alexandra and her comment on the smug host, her attack on men like him, talking about his humiliation of Lola?

15. Amanda urging Alexandra to be social with the others? Sharing the room with Miss Corsica? Suspicion of drugs, reporting, discovering the truth, the inspection, Amanda intervening? Friendship? Secrets, Alexandra relaxed and singing with the competitors?

16. The competition, nervous, the other women, the rehearsals in the dressing, the dancing? Alexandra and her dismaying experience, the television interview and the rest of the family, excluding Lola, on the street, apologising? Yolande’s collapse, going to hospital? The others urging her to go? Late?

17. The performance, making a good impression? The selection of six, her winning? The applause of the friends in the hospital, Elias and his wife? The people of the club?

18. The drama of the speech, hesitation, talking about her family, taking of the dress, the reaction of the audience, the boos, the applause, the other women, the judges?

19. Alexandra discovering the real identity, in touch with the famine and, the meeting with the whole group as a finale?