When you know that a person’s life is coming to an end due to illness, you certainly want to give that person many special moments and love and that’s what this film is all about.
The story revolves around Tona’s Mateo García Elizondo) last days in this world. He has an incurable cancer and only manages to go about the basic things of life with the utmost effort and the help of a nurse. But unlike what you might expect, it’s more about the family, friends and acquaintances who want to give Tona a probably unforgettable birthday party.
For this special occasion, a wide variety of people travel from all corners of the country to prepare the party in the old family home, including 7-year-old Sol (Naíma Sentíes), Tona’s daughter. Arriving at her destination, Sol wants to see her father right away, but the adults tell her to be patient and take it easy on her father for the evening. Sol’s mother, thanks to her work at the theater, manages to avoid the rather extensive preparations and leaves her daughter to her sister Nuri (Montserrat Marañon), who has also arrived with her child. There is a lot of activity in the old house and while the adults are very busy preparing themselves individually for the celebration, they are observed by Sol.
One experiences here completely different moments of the individual personalities which could not be more different. There is, for example, the somewhat gruff grandfather who, after a laryngectomy, is only able to communicate with the outside world using technical aids and is visibly annoyed by all the hustle and bustle. Nuri has been trying for hours to bake the perfect cake in the kitchen together with her little daughter, which of course ends in a small smoke inferno. And then, in the midst of all the chaos, an elderly lady suddenly appears, talking non-stop, wandering through the rooms and perceiving negative spiritual vibrations everywhere, which she very theatrically divulges. While the grandfather can only shake his head at this, the lady already asks for the money. The last money the family has left is collected, because since Tona can no longer paint, the largest source of money has dried up.
As time goes by, the house fills up more and more and while night slowly falls and the hustle and bustle in the house becomes more and more hectic, Sol finally gets some time with her father. Her mother has also returned in the meantime and so, in all the prevailing hustle and bustle, a rather intimate moment arises for the three of them for a brief moment. Afterwards they accompany him out of his room together and for Tona an unforgettable last evening together begins.
Conclusion:
We all know that our life is not infinite. But it usually becomes more dramatic when an incurable disease comes into play. But unlike what you would expect from this topic, this film dares to take a completely different look at this quite difficult topic. Despite the very different sensitivities and some emotionally charged moments, the film does not manage to sink into complete sadness. It remains surprisingly light and even tempts to laugh here and there, but never loses the focus of the actual story.
Actors:
Naíma Sentíes (Sol)
Monserrat Marañon (Nuri)
Marisol Gasé (Alejandra)
Saori Gurza (Esther)
Teresita Sánchez (Cruz)
Mateo García Elizondo (Tonatiuh)
Juan Francisco Maldonado (Napo)
Iazua Larios (Lucía)
Alberto Amador (Roberto)
Director:
Lila Avilés
More about the movie:
https://www.berlinale.de/en/2023/programme/202307056.html
Trailer / Film-Clip:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrnZ21cldG8
