Heidi Ewing’s passionate gay romance “I Carry You With Me” ended up winning the NEXT Audience and Jury Prize at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. An effervescent mood piece, and filled with relevance, Wing had originally set her sights for the film to be a documentary about her two subjects, but when she couldn’t complete it, she decided to tell her story through, mostly, fiction.
Set in Mexico and New York City, Wing tells the true story of aspiring chef Iván, hoping to land a spot in the chef’s kitchen while supporting the mother of his child, and dating Gerardo, a teacher who, unlike Iván, is not closeted about his homosexuality. However, once they are discovered as lovers and he is no longer able to see his son, Iván makes the arduous trek to cross the border with the promise of the American dream at his side.
This is Ewing’s solo directorial narrative debut and it’s based on an acclaimed New York City chef’s life whose cuisine pays homage to his beloved Mexico. brother Lensed impressively by fast-rising Mexican cinematographer Juan Pablo Ramírez, Iván’s story is rendered in intensely heartrending fashion.
Despite a few narrative bumps, mostly occurring in the film’s final section, where non-fiction filmmaking is mixed into the story, Ewing turns out to be a talent to watch. She can’t help but muddy up her narrative by turning her film into a full-on documentary in the last third, but the journey is the destination here and this is a film filled with humanism in the face of danger, one which, we can’t help but notice, is ripped from our socio-political headlines. The film is a tender and complicated romance, beautifully captured by all Involved.
SCORE: B/B+