Jonathas is a young boy living in a children’s home, waiting to be adopted. He is taken in for a trial period by a married couple, but he is soon ‘returned’ to the home because of his effeminate mannerisms. Jonathas must now come to terms with a new reality.

Beautifully capturing the fluidity of identity in dreamy, languid cinematography, this queer short film explores the underside of adoption in subtly devastating terms. A ravishing tale of a young person’s quest for approval and belonging, The Orphan won the Queer Palm award at Cannes Film Festival.