Through the violent tremor of memories and images, Fridatraces on the screen the endlessly tortuous interior and exterior trials of the painter Frida Kahlo, and her encounter with the personalities of her time, which coincided with the heyday of Mexican muralism. From the rickety platform of her wheelchair (polio, operations, and amputations), Frida not only encounters Rivera and Siqueiros with their colourful and passionate paraphernalia, but also one of the striking characters of the 20th century, the exiled Trotsky, king of controversy who sought refuge among the cacti and walls of centennial Coyocan, the southern district of Mexico City. So, Frida the film converts itself into the echo of laceration that yesterday was engraved onto canvas, and today is inscribed onto the subtle pliability of a film… Director Paul Leduc, familiar with the 16mm format, chose this camera (a handheld Eclair) to reduce costs and, together with cinematographer Angel Goded, achieve greater mobility. Its lightness allowed it to be used for handheld camera work without a tripod, in low light and with minimal dialogue.

Héctor Ramírez Williams