Octubre

The gloomy existence of a small-time moneylender is altered by the arrival of a baby in this visually drab but moderately touching slice-of-life dramedy from Daniel and Diego Vega Vidal, a fraternal writing-directing team whose international recognition is part of a recent resurgence of Peruvian filmmaking. Clemente (Bruno Odar) is a dour, solitary figure who fills his days trying to extract repayment from his hapless clients and his nights being mechanically serviced by a series of prostitutes. When one of them leaves behind a bag containing an infant—his unbeknownst-to-him daughter—Clemente becomes the child's reluctant caretaker and hires Sofía (Gabriela Velásquez) as a live-in nanny. Sofía's religiosity is linked to a great festival held each October in Lima called the Lord of Miracles, and she's the one who christens the newborn Milagritos, the “miracle child,” not because the little one redeems Clemente in any specifically Christian sense, but because it's through the child that he ultimately reestablishes emotional connections with other human beings. The filmmakers tell this ragged, uneven story in a homespun style, adding touches of earthy humor along the way. A strong optional purchase. (F. Swietek)