Parque vía

The Golden-Leopard-winning Parque vía is intriguing from start to finish. In his modest, impressive début, Enrique Rivero stays close to reality. The protagonist Beto is acted by – and modelled on – Nolberto Coria, who works in the household of a rich family. The other roles are also played by non-professional actors. The beautiful camera work by Arnau Valls Colomer sharply reveals the relationship between the rooms in the house and its eternal inhabitant, but also between the different social classes. The fiction element in the film focuses on the relationship with the chaotic, violent world outdoors: Mexico City.
Old Beto lives in one small room in the large house where he has worked for 30 years. The owner moved out 10 years ago with the rest of her staff and Beto has looked after the building awaiting sale. He takes care of the garden, cleans the windows, polishes the kitchen as if life could start up again at any moment. The old lady comes to visit him occasionally and, while not a word too many is spoken during those visits, it’s clear that they respect each other. Beto spends his free evenings in front of the television or with his only friend, the lady companion Lupe.
Beto appreciates his loneliness and the noisy outside world makes him nervous. Suddenly the house is sold. Beto has to decide how he can maintain his isolated existence. (GT)