Lingua Franca (film)

Lingua Franca is a 2019 Philippine-American drama film edited, written, produced, and directed by Filipina filmmaker-actress Isabel Sandoval. It is Sandoval's third feature film, her first international co-production, her first primarily in English, and her first following her gender affirmation.^[1] The film stars Sandoval as Olivia, an undocumented Filipina trans woman who works as a caregiver for Olga, an elderly Russian-Jewish woman in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn. In pursuit of a man willing to provide a marriage-based green card to her, she worries about possible deportation by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement while becoming romantically involved with Olga's adult grandson, Alex. The film's supporting cast includes Eamon Farren, Ivory Aquino, P.J. Boudousqué, Lev Gorn, and Lynn Cohen.

Lingua Franca premiered at the Venice Days sidebar of the 76th Venice International Film Festival in 2019.^[2] In July 2020, the film was acquired by Ava DuVernay's distribution company, ARRAY, and began streaming in North American territories through Netflix on 26 August 2020.^[3] TBA Studios served as the Philippine distributor, releasing the film virtually on 20 November 2020.^[4]

Lingua Franca received nominations for the John Cassavetes Award at the 36th Independent Spirit Awards and Outstanding Film – Limited Release at the 32nd GLAAD Media Awards.