Fitting In

Fitting In is a 2023 Canadian coming-of-age comedy drama film written and directed by Molly McGlynn. It stars Maddie Ziegler, Emily Hampshire, Djouliet Amara, D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, and Ki Griffin. The film was titled Bloody Hell in its first showing at SXSW.[1][2] Several additional film festival showings are being presented in 2023.[3] The film won the award for Best Canadian Film at the 2023 Vancouver International Film Festival.

Fitting In
Film poster
Directed byMolly McGlynn
Written byMolly McGlynn
Produced byJennifer Weiss
Starring
CinematographyNina Djacic
Edited byMaureen Grant
Music byCasey Manierka-Quaile
Production
company
Nice Picture Inc
Distributed byElevation Pictures
Release date
  • March 13, 2023 (2023-03-13) (SXSW)
Running time
104 minutes
CountryCanada
LanguageEnglish

Premise

The story centers around 16-year-old Lindy, who is diagnosed with a rare reproductive condition, MRKH syndrome. The diagnosis disrupts her understanding of womanhood and sexual identity, and throws her relationships with her new boyfriend, her friends at her new high school, and her mother into disarray.[4]

Cast

Production

The film is semi-autobiographical, as its creator, Molly McGlynn, was diagnosed with MRKH syndrome as a teenager.[5] In June 2022, it was announced that Ziegler and Hampshire were cast in lead roles.[5] Filming began in May 2022 in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada[6] and concluded on June 28, 2022.[7]

Release

The film premiered on March 13, 2023, under the title Bloody Hell, in the narrative spotlight section of the South By Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas.[4]

Under the title Fitting In, the film was shown at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival[8] and the 2023 Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival in Ontario, Canada, in September 2023,[9][10] and the 2023 Vancouver International Film Festival[11] and the 2023 Calgary International Film Festival, both beginning in September.[12] Elevation Pictures has the right to distribute the film in Canada.[5] According to their website, the film is due to be released in theatres there on February 3, 2024.[13] Blue Fox Entertainment is set to distribute the film in the US.[14]

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 92% of 13 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.5/10.[15]

After its premiere at SXSW, Marco Vito Oddo, writing for Collider, Sage Dunlap in The Daily Texan, Laura Bradley in The Daily Beast, Dennis Harvey in Variety and Stephen Saito in The Moveable Fest praised Ziegler's performance and the message of the film.[1][2][4] In September 2023, Marya E. Gates in RogerEbert.com did the same.[16]

Fitting In was a nominee for Best Direction in a Feature Film at the 2023 Directors Guild of Canada awards[17] and won the award for Best Canadian Film at the 2023 Vancouver International Film Festival.[11]

References
  1. Oddo, Marco Vito. "Bloody Hell Review: Maddie Ziegler Struggles with Womanhood in Coming-of-Age Story", Collider, March 14, 2023; and Dunlap, Sage. "Bloody Hell empowers with unique coming-of-age story", The Daily Texan, March 16, 2023
  2. Bradley, Laura. "Maddie Ziegler's SXSW 'Traumedy' Bloody Hell Is Brilliant – With a Period Twist", The Daily Beast, March 18, 2023
  3. Levack, Chandler. "TIFF 2023: The bold risks and bloody rewards of Canada’s Molly McGlynn", The Globe and Mail, September 5, 2023.
  4. Harvey, Dennis. "Bloody Hell Review: A Teen Sex Comedy Thrown a Curveball by Mother Nature", Variety, March 14, 2023; and Saito, Stephen. "SXSW 2023 Review: A Dire Prognosis Opens Up Emotional Floodgates in Molly McGlynn’s Bloody Hell", The Moveable Fest,·March 14, 2023
  5. Goldbart, Max (June 7, 2022). "Maddie Ziegler & Schitt's Creek Star Emily Hampshire to Lead 'Bloody Hell', Coming-of-Age "Traumedy" from Mary Goes Round Director Molly McGlynn". Deadline. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  6. "'Bloody Hell Molly McGlynn", Northernstars.ca, June 9, 2022
  7. "Molly McGlynn on Instagram: "We wrapped Bloody Hell in the wee hours."". Instagram. June 28, 2022. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  8. O'Connell, Sean. "Maddie Ziegler’s Bold Sexual Comedy Fitting In Brims with Heart and Pain, But How's Her Acting?", Cinema Blend, September 10, 2023
  9. Hazelton, John. "TIFF sets Centrepiece line-up of international cinema", Screen Daily, August 10, 2023
  10. "Sudbury-shot 'traumedy' to be a Cinefest special presentation", The Sudbury Star, July 27, 2023
  11. Gee, Dana. "Vancouver International Film Festival announces winners of this year's Canadian film awards", Vancouver Sun, October 5, 2023.
  12. "Calgary International Film Festival adds new competition to 2023". LiveWire Calgary. August 16, 2023. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  13. "New Releases: Coming Soon", Elevation Pictures. Retrieved October 24, 2023
  14. "Blue Fox Entertainment: Full Catalogue", The Film Catalogue. Retrieved October 24, 2023
  15. "Fitting In". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved September 26, 2023.
  16. Gates, Marya E. "TIFF 2023: Seagrass, Fitting In, Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person", RogerEbert.com, September 11, 2023
  17. Mirza, Taimur Sikander. "Women Talking leads film nominees for 2023 DGC Awards", Playback, September 20, 2023.
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