Frida is a biographical film that tells the life of Mexican painter Frida Khalo. Easily recognized as one of the greatest Mexican painters and renowned for her beautiful self-portraits, Frida Khalo’s life has been nothing but pain.
Equipped with a wonderful musical score, the movie eases us into falling in love with a fearless and charismatic young woman. However, almost immediately we are introduced to Khalo’s first of two greatest accidents: her bus accident. Rendered a cripple at the tender age of 18, we are guided through the aftermath of the accident and finally understand the origins of Khalo’s artistic career.
Following her flourishing artistic interest, we meet muralist Diego Rivera, who Khalo depicts as the second of two greatest accidents in her life. Rivera recognizes Khalo’s talent and also encourages her to pursue a career in painting. The movie then illustrates their friendship to eventual marriage, which for the most part is filled with constant arguments, passion, and infidelity by both parties.
A beautiful note of the film is how it incorporates many of Khalo’s paintings, from a scene where Diego and Frida join together to hold hands to symbolize Khalo’s Frieda y Diego Rivera painting, to a scene where we see Frida painting La Columna Rota, or The Broken Column, when she finds out that she has to wear a metal corset to hold up her spine due to the bus accident she suffered early in life.
Frieda y Diego Rivera
La Columna Rota
The movie is based off the book Frida: A Biography of Frida Khalo, so it’s safe to assume that the film is accurate of her life. It has received numerous nominations and awards, with examples such as two Academy Awards for Best Make Up and Original Score and a Golden Globe for the Original Score, as well.