The Journey of Monalisa

The Journey of Monalisa is a 2019 Chilean-American documentary film directed by Nicole Costa and written by Costa, Daniela Camino and Melisa Miranda. It is about the journey of the transgender artist Iván Monalisa in her self-exile in New York where she worked as a prostitute.

Synopsis

In 1995, the artist Iván Ojeda was invited to New York to study at the New Dramatists. When everything ends, instead of returning to Chile, he decides to change his name to Iván Monalisa and work as a transgender prostitute. 17 years later, Nicole Costa, his old friend from college and director of this film, arrives in New York to begin a journey with Monalisa to understand the reasons for Iván's self-exile.

Release

The Journey of Monalisa had its world premiere on 10 October 2019, at the Valdivia International Film Festival, then screened on 7 November 2019, at the DOC NYC. It had its digital premiere on 11 July 2020, on Vimeo, almost a year later, it was released on 11 June 2021, in a limited and free way on Ondamedia.