Bonsái

Chilean director Cristián Jiménez's adaptation of Alejandro Zambra's titular novel stars Diego Noguera as Julio, a college student in Valdivia who—on a professor's suggestion—takes a copy of Marcel Proust's In Search of Lost Time with him on a trip to the beach, but spends more time sunbathing than reading. At a house party, Julio meets Emilia (Natalia Galgani), who says she's read all seven volumes of Proust's Remembrance of Things Past . After a kiss leads to a night of passion, the story jumps ahead eight years before doubling back to the start of their relationship. In the past, the college couple move in together (sharing a flat with Emilia's best friend), while continuing to read, make love, and attend punk-rock shows. In the present, the Santiago-based Julio has become an aspiring novelist and bonsai enthusiast. Long out of touch with his former flame, Julio spends most of his time with Blanca (Trinidad González), a translator who lives across the hall. Julio shares the book he is writing—a fictionalized take on his time with Emilia—with Blanca, claiming it's the work of local author Gazmuri (Hugo Medina). Serving up an interesting meditation on past and present, truth and lies, fact and fiction, this is recommended. (K. Fennessy)