Elisa & Marcela (2019) Apr 2026

Critics and audiences are deeply divided on the film's execution:

For a deeper look into the historical significance and critical reception of the film, you can watch this detailed video review: Lesbian Film Review: Elisa & Marcela Sapphic Underground YouTube• Jul 16, 2019

The film follows two teachers in Galicia who fall in love at a convent school [16, 19]. To escape social persecution, Elisa disappears and returns disguised as a male cousin named "Mario" [11, 17]. They successfully marry, but their deception leads to local suspicion, violence, and eventually exile to Portugal and Argentina [11, 21]. Elisa & Marcela (2019)

: Natalia de Molina (Elisa) and Greta Fernández (Marcela) are generally praised for their natural chemistry and earnest acting , though some critics found the writing didn't give them enough depth [4, 11, 13].

: A common complaint is that the movie is "plodding" and overlong [9, 10]. Critics from Variety and The Hollywood Reporter argued it lacks the tension and complexity such a radical story deserves [11, 19]. Critics and audiences are deeply divided on the

The 2019 Netflix film , directed by Isabel Coixet, is a visually striking but polarizing biographical drama. It tells the remarkable true story of Elisa Sánchez Loriga and Marcela Gracia Ibeas , who in 1901 tricked the Catholic Church into performing Spain's first recorded same-sex marriage [12, 23].

. Often described as a "melodrama" that prioritizes style over substance [9, 10, 21]. Watchability : Natalia de Molina (Elisa) and Greta Fernández

: The film’s standout feature is its black-and-white cinematography , which many reviewers compared to the elegance of Roma [6, 16]. It uses long, deliberate shots to create a "visual poetry" [7].