Queerguru reviews Ivan Lowenberg’s award winning short film ENCOUNTER a tender tale about the vulnerabilities of aging

The joy of reviewing indie queer films is discovering their backstories and appreciating the passion that is the driving force behind these wee gems. No better example is ENCOUNTER by Mexican filmmaker Ivan Lowenberg, a tender tale about the vulnerabilities of aging that takes on a whole different journey when you are queer.

When he was working as an Assistant Director back in 2008 working on the film Martha he developed such a close friendship with the lead actress Magda Vizcaíno and from then on he tried to involve her in all his projects During those years, she also shared her reflections on aging and the vulnerabilities she was facing. She never married or had children, although she had the support of her nieces. While she wasn’t a lesbian, her experience of old age resembled that of many LGBTIQ+ elders, except that, in many cases, these individuals lack even the support of nieces or friends, as they were often cast out from their families.

Ivan told QUEERGURU that as a gay person, that idea started taking root in him. He also saw it as an opportunity to write a lead role for Magda, since, until then, he had only written small parts or comedic gags for her. Up to that point, he had never written about this subject so openly—he had suggested and coded it in my previous works, many of which he created while still in the closet. This was also his chance to publicly explore themes that feel deeply personal to him.

“When I handed Magda the script, without telling her what it was about, I was a bit nervous. Despite almost a decade of friendship, we had never talked about my relationships or my sexual orientation. I didn’t really know her stance on the subject, as she had never expressed an opinion, positive or negative. I also wasn’t sure if, at 91, she would want one of her final roles to be that of a lesbian—something she had never portrayed in her 70-year career.”   She finished reading it and the first thing she said was: “So, when are we filming?”

What really grabbed my attention was the way Ivan wove in a parallel story about a Julian young man  just  who we believe is gay and the hint that the character that the past of Magda’s character (Araceli ) could have been Julian’s present.  And he implants the idea Julián’s future could mirror Araceli’s current reality. espacially when he/we discover that are related 

Julián’s decision to help Araceli, fully aware of the consequences it would have on his life—particularly the rejection from his mother and grandfather—underscores the significance of chosen families within the LGBTIQ+ community. In a world where biological family support is not always guaranteed, the bond that forms between them becomes an act of resistance and love, challenging the structures that seek to marginalize them.

When Ivan shot the movie in 2019 Magda Vizcaíno  was one of the oldest actresses to play an LGBT character on screen.  She passed away in 2022  before the film was released and was nominated for a Mexican Academy Award

Here’s  the whole film which is now free on You Tube