VENTURA PONS

Bil’s rating (out of 5):  BBBB. 

Original title:  Caricies

Spain, 1998.  Els Films de la Rambla, Generalitat de Catalunya – Departament de Cultura, Televisió de Catalunya, Televisión Española.  Screenplay by Ventura Pons, Sergi Belbel, based on the play by Sergi Belbel.  Cinematography by Jesus Escosa.  Produced by Ventura Pons.  Music by Carles Cases.  Production Design by Gloria Marti.  Costume Design by Neus Olivella.  Film Editing by Pere Abadal.  Toronto International Film Festival 1998.  

Excellent human drama from Spanish director Ventura Pons has a Ronde-like plot that only helps make the drama richer. The film is a circular collection of two-character scenes, where the player from the previous scene moves on to interact with a new figure in the next scene, then that new person continues to the next scene and so on, with every different situation emphasizing the lack of affection going on between people in this overcrowded and disaffected world. Pons’ direction with his actors is deft, and all the lovely faces involved (especially Rosa Maria Sardà and newcomer Roger Coma as her son) perform at the top of their abilities.