Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- melancholic
- earnest
- romantic
- historical romance night
- lgbtq+ cinema evening
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film visually attractive but emotionally underpowered, conventional, and predictable as a period melodrama.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Elisa and Marcela maintain a secret romantic relationship under scrutiny from family, neighbors, and religious society.
Elisa adopts the identity of Mario to pursue marriage with Marcela despite laws and customs excluding same-sex couples.
The film is presented in black and white, emphasizing its historical setting and formal melodramatic register.
The couple's 1901 wedding is presented as a direct challenge to legal and social norms surrounding same-sex relationships.
Films like Elisa & Marcela, and why
Carol
historical lesbian romance shaped by social repression, secrecy, and the struggle for public legitimacy
Brokeback Mountain
period same-sex love story confronting institutional prejudice through restrained melodrama
The Danish Girl
biographical LGBTQ+ drama centered on forbidden desire and resistance to social norms
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
romantic period drama about women defying patriarchal expectations and restrictive institutions
Movie Details
- Director
- Isabel Coixet
- Release Date
- 2019-05-24
- Runtime
- 118 min
- Rating
- 7.3 / 10 (405)
Cast
- Natalia de Molina
- Greta Fernández
- Sara Casasnovas
- Tamar Novas
- María Pujalte
- Francesc Orella
- Manolo Solo
- Kelly Lua
- Manuel Lourenzo
- Jorge Suquet
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Elisa & Marcela about?
- Two women in nineteenth-century Galicia risk exile, scandal, and invented identity to make their hidden love legally visible.
- What is Elisa & Marcela like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Elisa & Marcela as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Elisa & Marcela violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Elisa & Marcela.
- What did critics think of Elisa & Marcela?
- Critics broadly found the film visually attractive but emotionally underpowered, conventional, and predictable as a period melodrama.
- Which films are like Elisa & Marcela?
- Films with a similar feel include Carol, Brokeback Mountain, The Danish Girl, and Portrait of a Lady on Fire.
- How long is Elisa & Marcela?
- Elisa & Marcela runs 118 minutes.
- Where can I watch Elisa & Marcela?
- In United States, Elisa & Marcela streams on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads.
