Fitting In

Fitting In is a 2023 Canadian coming-of-age comedy drama film written and directed by Molly McGlynn. It stars Maddie Ziegler, D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Djouliet Amara, and Emily Hampshire. The film was titled Bloody Hell in its first showing at SXSW. Several additional film festival showings were presented in 2023. The film won the award for Best Canadian Film at the 2023 Vancouver International Film Festival. It was released in theatres in February 2024.

Premise
The story centers around 16-year-old Lindy, who is diagnosed with a rare reproductive condition, MRKH syndrome. The diagnosis disrupts her understanding of womanhood and sexual identity, and throws her relationships with her new boyfriend, her friends at her new high school, and her mother into disarray.

Production
The film is semi-autobiographical, as its creator, Molly McGlynn, was diagnosed with MRKH syndrome as a teenager. In June 2022, the casting of Ziegler and Hampshire was announced. Principal photography took place in Sudbury, Ontario, from May 30 to June 27, 2022.

Release
The film premiered on March 13, 2023, under the title Bloody Hell, in the narrative spotlight section of the South By Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas.

Retitled Fitting In, the film was shown at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival and the 2023 Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival in Ontario, Canada, in September 2023, and at the 2023 Vancouver International Film Festival and the 2023 Calgary International Film Festival, both beginning that month.

Blue Fox Entertainment distributed the film in the US, with the theatrical release on February 2, 2024. Elevation Pictures distributed the film in Canada, with a release in theatres there also on February 2, 2024.

Reception
After its premiere at SXSW, Marco Vito Oddo, writing for Collider, Sage Dunlap in The Daily Texan, Laura Bradley in The Daily Beast, Dennis Harvey in Variety and Stephen Saito in The Moveable Fest praised Ziegler's performance and the message of the film. In September 2023, Marya E. Gates in RogerEbert.com did the same.

Fitting In was a nominee for Best Direction in a Feature Film at the 2023 Directors Guild of Canada awards and won the award for Best Canadian Film at the 2023 Vancouver International Film Festival.