THE STORY – In a warehouse in Southern Spain, Iván falls in love with newly-hired co-worker Hadoum. However, his long-awaited promotion interferes with their relationship, forcing him to decide what kind of person he wants to be.
THE CAST – Silver Chicón, Herminia Loh Moreno, Úrsula Díaz Manzano, Esperanza Guardado, Cisco Lara & Nico Montoya
THE TEAM – Ian de la Rosa (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 103 Minutes
At first glance, “Iván & Hadoum” is seemingly a standard boy-meets-girl romance. But because it is directed by Ian de la Rosa, a trans filmmaker from Spain, it’s different. It features something that seems a bit of a rarity these days, despite the queer media available: a trans man in a leading role in a romantic drama or comedy. Rosa, who also wrote the screenplay, makes his feature directorial debut with “Iván & Hadoum,” having previously penned short films and been a series co-writer on HBO’s “Veneno.” Clearly, Rosa is less interested in exploring gender identity than in examining class and socioeconomic dynamics, workplace safety, and intercultural romance. It’s a refreshing take, especially since little time is spent dwelling on Iván’s existence as a trans man in southern Spain. Instead, Rosa focuses here on other things that can get in the way of a new romance. However, the story is predictable, with the members of Iván’s family less developed than Iván and Hadoum.
Immediately, Rosa introduces us to a busy warehouse where Iván (Silver Chicón) works. It’s a family business, and he has long been awaiting a promotion from his uncle, Manuel (Nico Montoya), so he can go from packer to manager. He notices that a new employee, Hadoum (Herminia Loh Moreno), has just been injured on the job, but neither Manuel nor Hadoum herself is willing to take her to the hospital. Later, Iván sees Hadoum singing in her native tongue (she’s Moroccan), and the two get into a tussle (the fight is not shown), then drive to the beach, and so begins their romance. Soon, we see that he lives with his family, which includes his sister and her children, but we know very little about them, aside from the fact that his father died and he’s clearly very close to his sister. And it doesn’t take long for Iván’s promotion to interfere with his new relationship, especially when Hadoum, a packer, joins the union, threatening his family’s business. What will ultimately happen to this couple is fairly easy to predict, yet the journey is interesting enough to keep the viewer engaged.
Thankfully, leads Silver Chicón and Herminia Loh Moreno have incredible chemistry. Even when their characters aren’t being intimate, there’s a noticeable spark that makes you root for them, despite where you know (or think) the story is going. While neither performer is revelatory, it’s important to note that this is both of their film acting debut; Chicón is an artist, and Moreno is a DJ and musician. As such, their performances here are believable enough to invite us in without leaning toward one or the other. Chicón’s smile and laugh are particularly delightful to watch, and he seems to have fun engaging in the goofier aspects of Iván’s personality.
Rosa’s dialogue is occasionally funny and witty, especially as it’s unafraid to have Iván – who has evidently not fully transitioned – say things like, “I just got my period.” Also, Iván half-jokingly calls himself a “hybrid,” while Hadoum almost similarly embraces her identity as “the Moroccan.” There are, however, some clichés exchanges throughout, such as when Iván and his male friends are gossiping about women, saying, “I’d do her.” There are other been-there, done-that elements, such as Iván and Hadoum knowing each other since childhood and having different priorities: she likes to travel, and he has no intention of leaving his hometown. And, as previously mentioned, Iván’s family members are underdeveloped, and Hadoum’s are barely there, which is a common problem in films like these that are so focused on one or two characters. Also, how many times have we seen a couple try to keep their relationship a secret when everyone else already knows? That said, there are some delightful inclusions, such as Iván’s nephew rescuing a baby sparrow and his sister teasing him about his love life.
Beatriz Sastre’s cinematography is a mixed bag: there are some moments that we’d like to see up close that are filmed at a distance and/or in darkness. In fact, the couple’s first kiss and subsequent intimate encounter are in the dark. Fortunately, the fact that it was filmed on location in Southern Spain makes it beautiful to look at, even when Sastre isn’t doing anything fancy. There are a couple of standout shots, such as when we see them kiss on the greenhouse’s infrared monitor, and then when they kiss and make up in a hall of mirrors at a carnival. This shows that Rosa is a promising new filmmaker who’s willing to try new things, so it’ll be exciting to see what he does next.
“Iván & Hadoum” tackles a lot in its 103 minutes: cultural identity, xenophobia, workplace safety, and more. The characters’ priorities shift throughout the movie, especially as someone like Iván has clearly fought to obtain and discern his identity: what kind of man is he, and what kind of man does he want to be? Rosa’s film may not answer that question, but it still offers a unique take on workplace romance that just so happens to feature a trans man. In this instance, too, she’s not ashamed of being seen with him, and he’s the one who has more of a problem with it. Despite its imperfections, “Iván & Hadoum” has done a fair amount of legwork to separate itself from others in the genre.
