What makes a family? Is it our blood relatives, assigned to us at birth? Or is it the people we meet along the way and accept as our own kin?
Carla Simón’s loosely autobiographical film “Romería” follows an 18-year-old aspiring filmmaker Marina, who is on a journey to find out about her own family ties in order to apply for a scholarship for school. She travels to Vigo, where she reconnects with her dad’s relatives, who help her piece together the story of her parent’s passing.
The movie is a poignant, beautiful family story that tales a universally relatable story of a young girl searching to understand her past. Dipped in desire, dreams and nostalgia, Simón builds a solid coming-of-age story that tackles more mature events than the typical teen movie.
Simón also uses this narrative to discuss major themes, like AIDS and drug abuse, and does so expertly. With a light hand, she creates a story that’s serious, but not overwhelmingly so.
Llúcia Garcia has a standout performance as Marina. With a delicate touch, she elevates the film to a new level, allowing the audience to really connect with the character, and see their own journeys reflected in Marina’s.
The supporting ensemble is filled with fantastic performances as well, most notably Mitch Martin as Nuno and Tristán Ulloa as Lois. Within this cast of characters it’s easy to see ourselves, or people we know, making the film all the more digestible for the audience.
The strongest aspect of the film is undoubtedly the way Simón plays with dreams, and what can be discovered through our subconscious. Though maybe introduced a bit too late in the film, the dream sequences are phenomenal in an almost hauntingly beautiful way.
Through this dream, Marina must cope with the ghosts of her past before she can move forward, leaving the audience with questions about their own past, families, and if it’s possible to move on.
Simón had a very strong outing with this film, which competed for the Palme d’Or at Cannes Film Festival this year. Strong, beautiful and melancholic, this film will stick in the minds of it’s audiences for days to come.
The film is now playing at the Gene Siskel Film Center.
