Armed with a camera, like a future filmmaker, Marina (Llúcia Garcia) wants to preserve everything she is discovering. Adopted since childhood, she came to Galicia to follow the footsteps of her parents, who died of AIDS after years of drug addiction. Her paternal family, whom she does not know, welcomes her with a hint of discomfort. Her arrival revives secrets, shames, and unspoken truths, which form a dark counterpoint to the sun and the ocean.
In Competition at Cannes
The plot of “Romeria,” the third feature film by Spanish director Carla Simon, selected at Cannes last year, is autobiographical. It depicts Marina’s investigation with subtlety and sensitivity. The young girl remains upright, luminous even in the face of violence and rejection that her parents faced when their AIDS and addiction were exposed. Carla Simon manages to articulate anger and tenderness, pain and grace. It’s a pity that the story gets lost in some unnecessary flashbacks.
