Starring: Carolina Sanin, Leticia Gomez, Antonio Martinez, Alejandra Sarria, David Roa, Jorge Carreno
Distributor: Limelight Films
Runtime: 93 mins. Reviewed in Jul 2020
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A film written by women (with French background), about strong women and their interactions, life-and-death situations. This is a serious film. It is also a sombre film in its seriousness – although there are some moments of lightness, touches of humour.
It is also a film from Latin America, from Colombia, set in Bogota. However, as audiences watch the women and their situations, it is really a universal story and could be taking place and any big city around the world. Audiences can identify with the women, although at many moments this is rather difficult, and can appreciate the continued hardships and challenges.
The litigant a of the title is a middle-aged woman, Silvia (a convincing if sometimes alienating performance by Carolina Sanin) – although her litigation is in the background, her profession as a consultant concerning allotting of government contracts, officials finding that some of the business activity contravened the law, her eventually being brought to court. Rather, in the foreground, immediately from the opening sequences of the film, she is in a contentious relationship with her mother. She loves her mother. Her mother loves her. But it is an extraordinarily harsh bickering relationship, mother criticising her daughter continually, daughter trying her best to support her mother prone to outbursts of exasperation.
Her mother, Leticia (Leticia Gomez) is having an MRI. We learn that she has undergone chemotherapy in the past, the doctor advising that her cancer is now terminal, advising more chemotherapy. Many audiences will identify with this central issue of the film: acceptance of terminal cancer, the reluctance to accept the doctor’s verdict by other members of the family, the urging of chemotherapy and the reluctance of the person with the cancer to undergo all the pain and discomfort of the treatment, the loss of quality of life. To that extent, this film is well worth seeing and responding to its dilemmas.
There is also a complication that Silvia is a single mother, Antonio her five-year-old son quite a bright spark, devoted to his mother, loving his grandmother, also his aunt, Silvia’s younger sister, Maria José, who continually helps during her mother’s illness. At home, is a boarder, Sergio, a very sympathetic, a gay man. Silvia is obviously not into relationships but after a hostile interview from the media, she encounters the interviewer at a party, rebukes him but then is attracted and they begin a relationship, he quite a genial and supportive man, she being a mixture of responsive and brittle, treating him very badly.
The film opened Critics Week at Cannes 2019 to favourable reviews but, a number noted that commercially it would be a hard sell. This is true. However, for audiences who want substantial drama, significant personal and family issues, it is well worthwhile.
Peter Malone MSC is an associate of the Australian Catholic Office for Film & Broadcasting.
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