71st San Sebastian International Film Festival

# 71st San Sebastian International Film Festival

+ Follow

Totem: A Mexican girl facing impending tragedy but buoyed by family love

If I’m not mistaken, the word “family”, or “la familia” in Spanish, never appears in Lila Aviles’ “Totem”. Yet, it is a heart-warming and heart-breaking probe into this most basic of human societal units. Sure, the title is a big hint. I don’t know about other languages, but in China, where the Mexican movie was shown at both international film festivals in Beijing and Shanghai and won the Best Director Award at the former, it suggests an ancient object or representation for clan gathering or wo

2248 views

Totem: A Mexican girl facing impending tragedy but buoyed by family love

Totems: Love, Gentleness, and Days of Farewell

For 7-year-old Sol, today is exceptionally significant as it marks not only her father's birthday but also a day that her father's illness has taken a turn for the worse. Perhaps everyone silently understands that this will be her father's last birthday, so every member of the family puts their hearts into both celebrating and facing the inevitable farewell. Aunts dress up meticulously, grandpa prepares gifts, cousins, though unwilling, join in, and the mischievous little sister continues to cre