The Scene Drift

Sorrow and heartache prevail on the Catalan Mediterranean beaches as teenage Cata (Zoe Stein), along with her younger sister Eva (Martina García) and grandfather Tomeu (Lluís Homar), are struck by the passing of her ever-tender grandmother Catalina (Marta Angelat). An event that places their lives in a state of stillness, resembling paralysis, as they struggle to understand how to move forward. The grieving family is later joined by Cata and Eva’s mother (Núria Prims).

Throughout the film, we watch as Cata handles grief in her own peculiar way, getting into the skin and clothes of her grandmother and making ghostly appearances around the beautiful Mallorca beach house.

Director Lucía Aleñar Iglesias isn’t afraid of lingering shots or silent scenes, and ingeniously uses them to convey the void left by Angelat’s character. Zoe Stein delivers a strong and riveting performance that leaves the audience entranced.

With a delicate yet efficiently poignant script, and cinematography largely responsible for the profoundly nostalgic tone imperative to the core of the film, Forastera becomes a beautiful piece on grief in all its shapes, family ties, and identity. Iglesias cleverly navigates human emotions and relationships, making this a fierce debut and a coming-of-age film in its full glory.

Rating: 4/5 ⭐

This film was viewed in competition at the 22nd Marrakech Film Festival