Kept and Dreamless

Not just any old mother-daughter film, this film focuses on the difficult relationships between mothers and daughters. Eugenia, a precocious girl nearly nine years old, and her mother Florencia, much too young to be a mother, have an almost inverted mother-daughter relationship. Eugenia does not only have to look after herself, she also has two take care of her intoxicated, drug-addicted mother. Florencia’s own mother occasionally helps out financially, but she emotionally turned away from her daughter many years ago. The directors certainly didn’t avoid dramatic risks in this film. The combination of authenticity in setting and realism in the story is dynamically mixed with burlesque characters and lighthearted episodes. The structure of the film is playful and jittery, like the shaky life of the protagonists. Especially in the supporting roles, several colourful characters have a chance to give the film a lighthearted mood. Then it becomes clear that the characters are less locked up in their fate and that they have something to dream about after all. Lucía Snieg is exactly right for the very demanding child role of Eugenia. She is way ahead of her age, but has remained very young in her emotions. Writer and co-director Vera Fogwill took on the difficult role of the irresponsible junkie mother herself. (GjZ)