TOTEM

Seven-year-old Sol (remarkable newcomer Naíma Sentíes) is spending the day at her grandfather’s home as her aunts Nuri and Alejandra are busily preparing for a surprise birthday for her father, Tonatiuh, who is gravely ill. They’re determined to make it a festive celebration knowing this will be his last. Sol, feels rejected, and doesn’t understand why her father, behind the closed bedroom door and being cared for by a nurse, doesn’t want to see her. One aunt is getting progressively more drunk as she bakes a cake, the other is dying her hair and has hired a healer to rid the home of bad spirits. Left to her own devices, Sol occupies herself as best she can. As daylight fades, a strange and chaotic atmosphere takes over shattering the bonds that hold a family together. Sol will comes to understand that her world is about to change dramatically, and embrace the essence of letting go and cherishing the breath of life. Featuring a superb cast of mostly non-professional actors and movingly helmed by Mexican director Lila Avilés (The Chambermaid), Totem is Mexico’s submission to the Oscars for Best International Feature.

95 min.