Sun, Oct 24th, 4:30 PM @ The Playhouse
The title character of the remarkable Clara Sola is a 40-year-old virgin. You might also call her a middle-aged version of Sissy Spacek’s Carrie. But Nathalie Álvarez Mesén’s first feature is neither a comedy nor a horror freak-out. Set in a rural village and cast with nonactors, led by a feral performance from dancer Wendy Chinchilla Araya, the drama occupies its own territory, tinged with magical realism and deeply immersed in the sensory world. It’s also a vivid reminder that even a matriarchy can be paternalistic.
Clara lives with her religious mother, Fresia (Flor María Vargas Chaves), and her teenage niece, María (Ana Julia Porras Espinoza), whose coming-of-age sparks Clara’s own awakening. But the figure she most identifies with is Yuca, the family’s unicorn-white mare. They’re both money-earning attractions: Yuca is rented out to local guides working in Costa Rica’s thriving tourist industry. Clara is offered up to worshippers as a healer who has a direct line to the Blessed Virgin.
Printer-friendly version
