Clara Sola

40-year-old Clara is in her element among the animals and nature. However, purple tape marks where she is permitted to go on the grounds of her house, on the edge of the Costa Rican rain forest. Hunchbacked and developmentally challenged, she lives under the protective regime of her devout mother, Fresia, who views her syndrome as a sign of God’s providence, and attributes healing skills to her.

She regularly functions as the unwilling focal point of religious services, with which doña Fresia – who also has Clara’s niece Maria under her protection – augments the household’s income. A second source of money is the white mare, Yuca, which is rented to a tourist organisation. Clara’s deep connection to nature is portrayed with a hint of mystery and accompanied by a dark, dreamy score. A new animal caretaker brings out long-repressed feelings.