Matt and Mara
$10.50
Dir. Lila Avilés
2023, Mexico, Denmark, France, 95 min
Spanish with English subtitles
In a bustling Mexican household, seven-year-old Sol is swept up in a whirlwind of preparations for the birthday party for her father, Tona, led by her mother, aunts and other relatives. As the day goes on, building to an event both anticipated and dreaded, Sol begins to understand the gravity of the celebration this year and watches as her family does the same.
This poignant and emotionally expansive film from Lila Aviles (The Chambermaid) cements her skill at directing dynamic, ensemble performances in her stunning sophomore effort.
“Without ever verging on cloying, it’s a film about death that becomes a heartfelt celebration of life.” – Alison Willmore, New York Magazine/Vulture
“Avilés’s exceptional direction keeps sentimentality at bay while still, almost magically, sampling the different flavours of grief that run like currents and crosscurrents between the members of this close-knit, bickering family.” – Jessica Kiang, Sight & Sound