Salma Hayek as Frida Kahlo
Frida Movie Poster
Alfred Molina and Salma Hayek in Frida (2002) |
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Frida
Movie
When Salma Hayek stepped into
her role in the 2002 ‘Frida movie’,
she walked into a world where marriage, love,
hatred, and passion would intertwine in the
life story of two strong characters, Frida and
Diego.
The movie is based on the life of artist Frida
Kahlo, who lived in the shadow of her famous
husband and mentor, artist Diego Rivera (played
by actor Alfred Molina). From
her illicit love affair with Russian leader
Leon Trotsky, her forbidden
romantic escapades with women, to her enduring
commitment to will her marriage into survival,
the film reveals the woman behind the man.
Frida Kahlo was a surrealist artist who persisted
in continuing to paint despite the people’s
lack of interest in her art, and the lack of
sales. She credited her drive to her talented
husband, who judged and appraised her work.
Her love for him continued to grow, despite
his well-known infidelity. When Rivera proposed
to her, she requested his loyalty, if not his
fidelity.
After a roller coaster of events, including
Rivera discovering her affair to Trotsky, which
later leads to Trotsky’s assassination,
Kahlo flees to Paris. Upon her return, she is
incarcerated when the police cannot find suspect
Rivera, who eventually assists in her release.
As her health begins to fail, Rivera proposes
once again and she accepts. She dies after having
a first and final solo exhibition in Mexico.
In an interview with Salma Hayek regarding
the ‘Frida movie’ and the character
she played, Hayek reveals that she has been
a long time fan of Frida Kahlo’s work,
and jumped at the opportunity to portray her
in the film. When asked what inspired her about
Kahlo, she replied, “Her courage to be
unique. She was never conventional about anything
she did. She was always herself and it was not
easy.” The movie was nominated for 6 Academy
awards and won 2 of them: Best Original Score
and Best Makeup.
Analysis and Review
“Far from being a mere vanity
project for Salma Hayek, Frida is a very good
film that visually celebrates the life and art
of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. Director Julie
Taymor has taken a rather straightforward
bio of an exceptional figure and created a kaleidoscope
of her life's greatest hits onscreen.”
- Anji Milanovic (plume-noire.com)
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