Fitting In

''Fitting In'' is a 2023 Canadian coming-of-age comedy drama film written and directed by Molly McGlynn. It stars Maddie Ziegler, D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Djouliet Amara, and Emily Hampshire. The story centers around 16-year-old Lindy, who is diagnosed with a rare reproductive condition, MRKH syndrome. The diagnosis disrupts her understanding of her sexual identity, and throws her relationships with her new boyfriend, her friends at her new high school, and her mother into disarray.

The film was titled ''Bloody Hell'' in its first showing at SXSW.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, 2023Bradley, Laura
"Maddie Ziegler's SXSW 'Traumedy' ''Bloody Hell'' Is Brilliant – With a Period Twist"
''The Daily Beast'', March 18, 2023 Several additional film festival showings were presented in 2023. The film won the award for Best Canadian Film at the 2023 Vancouver International Film Festival, and Ziegler won the award for Outstanding Performance by an Actor at the Northern Ontario Music and Film Awards. It was released in theatres in February 2024.

Synopsis

16-year-old Lindy has never had a period. She is diagnosed with a rare reproductive condition, MRKH syndrome. The diagnosis throws into disarray her relationships with her new boyfriend, Adam; her single mother; her best friend, Vivian; and others at her new high school. Her insensitive male doctors advise her that she will have to use uncomfortable vaginal dilators frequently for the next "3 to 18 months" or have vaginal surgery. She feels unable to tell Adam about her condition and avoids him. Adam, confused about Lindy's moody behavior, breaks up with her. Lindy later believes that he and Vivian are romantically involved. She quits the track team. Meanwhile, her mother tries hard to reconnect with her.

Lindy starts a rebound relationship with Chad, a boy working at a fast-food restaurant, and has intercourse with him partly just to avoid having to use her vaginal dilator. She meets an intersex person at her school, Jax, to whom she confides about her MKRH syndrome. They also have a sexual encounter, but when Jax accompanies Lindy to a party and Chad approaches Lindy, Lindy doesn't want him to know that she is together with Jax; Jax is angry and leaves. Lindy then gets drunk at the party and is mortified to find out, the next morning, that the whole school now knows that she has a genital condition.

At a track meet after school, Vivian wins a race. She tells Lindy that she is not seeing Adam; the two make up. Some boys comment on Lindy's condition, and she publicly confronts them, standing up for herself. She texts Jax to apologize and cathartically admits to Vivian that she is sad and angry that she cannot have children. Lindy soon meets a female doctor who is more sympathetic than the male doctors have been; she tells Lindy that there is no rush to treat her condition either surgically or otherwise. Lindy begins to feel more positive about herself and reconnects with Jax.

Cast

Production

The film is semi-autobiographical, as its creator, Molly McGlynn, was diagnosed with MRKH syndrome as a teenager. In June 2022, the casting of Ziegler and Hampshire was announced. Principal photography took place in Sudbury, Ontario, from May 30 to June 27, 2022.

Release

The film premiered on March 13, 2023, under the title ''Bloody Hell'', in the narrative spotlight section of the 2023 South by Southwest Film & TV Festival in Austin, Texas.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

Retitled ''Fitting In'', the film was shown at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival and the 2023 Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival in Ontario, Canada, in September 2023, and at the 2023 Vancouver International Film FestivalGee, Dana
"Vancouver International Film Festival announces winners of this year's Canadian film awards"
''Vancouver Sun'', October 5, 2023. and the 2023 Calgary International Film Festival, both beginning that month.

Blue Fox Entertainment distributed the film in the US, with the theatrical release on February 2, 2024. Elevation Pictures distributed the film in Canada, with a release in theatres there also on February 2, 2024.

The film was released on digital platforms through ''The Movie Partnership'' on September 9, 2024.

Reception

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. In September 2023, Marya E. Gates in ''RogerEbert.com'' did the same.

''Fitting In'' was a nominee for Best Direction in a Feature Film at the 2023 Directors Guild of Canada awardsMirza, Taimur Sikander
"Women Talking leads film nominees for 2023 DGC Awards"
'' Playback'', September 20, 2023. and won the award for Best Canadian Film at the 2023 Vancouver International Film Festival. Ziegler won the award for Outstanding Performance by an Actor at the Northern Ontario Music and Film Awards.

Awards

References

External links

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Official US trailer
(2023)

Official Canadian trailer
(2023)

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fitting In
2023 drama films
2023 films
2023 independent films
2020s English-language films
2020s high school films
Canadian high school films
Canadian independent films
2020s Canadian films
Films shot in Greater Sudbury
Canadian coming-of-age drama films
Intersex-related films
English-language independent films