Even though I love Todd Haynes’ I’m Not There and find Cate Blanchett’s performance in the film nothing short of amazing, I was extremely excited to see Tilda Swinton win the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her work in Michael Clayton last night. I have long been an admirer of Swinton and her work in such films as Young Adam and The Deep End. The first role of hers that made me a true fan was her outstanding performance as the forever young Orlando in Sally Potter’s film by the same name.

Based on the novel by Virginia Woolf, Orlando follows the story of a young man who’s told “Do not fade. Do not wither. Do not grow old” by Queen Elizabeth I. And he does not, he manages to live 400 years and never age a day. Swinton’s turn as the male Orlando is not the only gender-bending performance of the piece, Quentin Crisp portrays Elizabeth I and halfway through the film Orlando adds a letter to his pronoun and becomes a she, proclaiming :

“Same person. No difference at all… just a different sex.”

A lyrical film that flows effortlessly from sex to sex and from time period to time period, Orlando is subtle but effective examination of England’s class system and of gender:

it is not about a story or a plot, but about a vision of human existence. What does it mean to be born as a woman, or a man? To be born at one time instead of another? To be born into wealth, or into poverty, or into the traditions of a particular nation? Most of us will never know. We are stuck with ourselves, and as long as we live, will always see through the same eyes and interpret with the same sensibility. Yes, we can learn and develop, but so much of what makes us ourselves is implanted at an early age, and won’t budge. [Roger Ebert]

In a day and age where we are all grappling with similar issues, to see a film that so attacks these issues so literally is refreshing. Of course the source material is a triumph in and of itself, but Swinton and Potter create a near perfect world for the words of Virgina Woolf to live.

So watch the trailer below, and if you haven’t seen the film, give it a try! And be sure to to learn about an amazing health center that works to help those whose gender or sexuality is a diverse as Orlando’s.