North American Premiere
Amparo lives in an old abandoned haberdashery in the centre of Madrid. Her only companion is Carmela, a plastic bag whom she considers her daughter. This is a truly black comedy, a delightful combination of absurdity and satire with a dash of slapstick violence thrown in for good measure, and a witty subtext about the use of plastics in our society. Terrific performances highlight this original tale where a woman’s life is suddenly turned into a clash of ideologies. The film is set up as a drama, which only enhances the comedy—just twisted and over-the-top enough to make the humour really work without being ridiculous, while hitting on important themes like environmentalism, loneliness, and mental health.
Community Partner
Jose Mota, Laura Gómez-Lacueva, Elisabet Terri
Andorra/Spain
2022
In Spanish with English subtitles
Featured in:
International Shorts: Having a Bad Day
Misadventures, bad choices, and a series of unfortunate events are all present in this program of short films. There is some serious drama and a bit of comedy on display in these exhilarating, thoughtful, and unpredictable tales.
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
The Secret in Their Eyes
This month's Talking Pictures screening is a multi-layered, poignant thriller interweaving the personal lives of a prosecution investigator (Ricardo Darin) and a judge, with a manhunt spanning twenty-five years. Stay for cookies, coffee and a chat after!
American Doctor
One of the most powerful documentaries of the year, this puts us smack in the open wound that is Gaza, filtered through the eyes of three American surgeons (of Palestinian, Jewish and Zoroastrian backgrounds) compelled to do their utmost to alleviate harm.
Credits
Producer
David Ortiz, Jose Pozo
Screenwriter
Jose Pozo
Cinematography
Luis Ángel Pérez
Editor
Pep Carrique
Original Music
Óscar Araujo
Director
Jose Pozo
A producer, screenwriter, and director of animated films, Jose Pozo won awards for the feature film El Cid, La leyenda (2004). He wrote and directed the feature film Nick (2017), which won 14 international awards. He is preparing his fifth feature film, Unusual Cowboys (2022). The script was a finalist in the drama category of the 2020 Big Break Festival’s Final Draft.
Filmography: El Cid, La leyenda (2004); Donkey Xote (2007); Nick (2017)