We are in the 90s in Lima (Peru). Inflation is hitting hard and there are repeated attacks with dead people from a group called the “Shining Path”.
Carlos, father of two siblings (Aurora and Lucia) is standing in the doorway. While the mother (Elena) greets her ex-husband warmly, there is a rather strange coldness between the father and the children. It seems to have been a long time since Carlos was last with them. The reason for the reunion is the older daughter’s birthday, which is also being attended by other family guests and friends.
Carlos seems like a stranger among all these people, trying to strike up a conversation with stories from his everyday life, but nobody really wants to hear his stories, which are obviously mostly made up. Later that evening, his mother asks him if he would like to do something with his daughters and another important request she makes is that Carlos should not forget that she needs a signature from him so that she can finally leave the country with the children. Carlos assures her that they can go to an appointment together in the next few days and that he would also like to do something with the children.
On the appointed day, he transfers the two children and more days pass without any feedback until he turns up with a car that almost falls apart at the mere sight of it. The destination is the beach, where the older sister drops off unannounced (but deliberately planned) to meet up with her friends to spend as much time as possible with them before leaving or to gush about her current love.
Contrary to her original promises, she leaves her little sister alone with their father. Only reluctantly, and after another story about Carlo’s working life, does Lucia get involved with her father and they both disappear into the water.
But Carlos’ plan was actually to spend the day with both daughters and so he collects Aurora again a short time later, as these are the last days in Peru that they can experience together. The excursion continues into the late evening and when he drops the girls off again, their mother invites him to stay, as there is already a curfew and out of concern that he might be shot.
When Aurora and Lucia are alone for a moment, Aurora explains to her sister that her period is not coming and that means she is probably pregnant by her boyfriend. But this is to remain a closely guarded secret between the two sisters for the time being. The pregnancy is of course the final spark that Aurora needs to pull out all the stops to stay in Lima. The next day, the two girls are desperate to go back to the beach with their father, but their mother rejects their plans. She is too worried after a terrorist attack that was reported on television.
Nevertheless, the two persuade their father to travel to the beach, which he ultimately cannot refuse his two “queens”, as he always calls them. However, this visit was not the best decision, at least for Aurora, as she has just arrived at the beach and sees her boyfriend with another woman.
Back home, Aurora gets drunk in the bathroom with her best friends. When she hears from her mother again in the family circle that she finally wants to get out of this country, Aurora bursts out. She no longer wants to stay with her mother and wants to move in with Carlos so that she can stay. She should just go with Lucia. But here she’s been left out in the cold by her sister, who is visibly taken aback by this statement and says without further ado that Aurora is pregnant. Without further ado, Aurora retreats to the bathroom and locks herself in there. Of course, the mother tries to get into the conversation through the locked door, but Aurora has completely different plans, which her little sister thwarts somewhat, because she has guessed what Aurora is up to. The two make up again and now want to look for their father’s apartment together, which should be somewhere nearby. However, the trip quickly turns into another trauma, as they are discovered by the military, who are not at all happy to see two people wandering the streets during curfew. The two are pushed into a military car like criminals and taken to the police. Aurora quickly realizes that she’s made a big mess of things and has dragged her little sister into it.
Conclusion:
I really enjoyed the movie. It was a pleasant story to follow with interesting and very different characters. The young actors did a great job, especially the strong bond between the two in the movie was simply adorable. Towards the end, the tension of the story rises again and it becomes quite emotional.
Actors:
Abril Gjurinovic (Lucia)
Luana Vega (Aurora)
Jimena Lindo (Elena)
Gonzalo Molina (Carlos)
Susi Sánchez (Abuela)
Directed by:
Klaudia Reynicke
Info about the movie:
https://www.berlinale.de/en/2024/programme/202408439.html
