La Madre, El Hijo Y La Abuela

An intimate story about a pop-up family and finding love where you least expect it, this debut feature by Benjamin Brunet centers on young photographer Cristobal (Gonzalo Aburto), who returns to the ruins of his hometown in Chile, which was devastated by a volcano some years before. Finding the site of his family home, Cristobal sorts through the debris of his childhood, and later takes photos of other abandoned structures that he finds in the village. Eventually, Cristobal encounters Ana (Ana Gallegos Mattei), a hardened, middle-aged tobacconist living with her elderly mother, Maria (María Muñoz), who is ill but refuses to seek treatment. From here, Brunet proceeds to tell the story of a familial bond that arises between Cristobal and the women, as he becomes the surrogate son Ana needs (since her real son can’t be bothered to drop by for a visit) and a sympathetic sounding board for Maria. For his part, Cristobal—who has only recently learned he was adopted—becomes immersed in the affections and support of mother and grandmother figures. Brunet presents the story in three chapters from the point of view of each character, offering different subjective angles, changing tones, and varying emotional colors. Recommended. (T. Keogh)