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SXSW Film Review: Mickey (Dano García, 2026)

Posted on
26 Mar 2026
by
Paul

With Mickey, director Dano García, has constructed a compelling look into the life of Mickey Cundapi, a trans woman who García first met when they were both quite young. That personal connection between documentarian and subject makes for a fairly intimate portrait, with Mickey being very open and transparent while on camera, telling personal stories such as the moment she bought her first high heels, a defining moment in her life that led to her feeling more empowered. Also empowering to Mickey? The music of Kesha, apparently.

The first look we get at Mickey on camera, she’s painting her face green, leading to some trippy green screen shenanigans. Stylistically, García makes several more interesting choices throughout the film, making use of various stylized visuals such as computer animation, the aforementioned green screen scenes, and various other camera tricks. It makes for a unique final product, but the real heart of the film comes in the personal connections, with the scenes featuring Mickey’s parents standing out as some of the most memorable moments. And though it looks like Mickey’s father in particular hasn’t always been terribly supportive, the fact that he’s participating in the documentary suggests that he’s come around a bit.

Ultimately, Mickey is a film about identity and being uniquely yourself, despite what others may think.

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