child’s perspective

1

Flies (Mexico) – Caught in the Mexican Healthcare System

Flies Film Difficulty Ranking: 2

Flies is a warm-hearted drama set in Mexico City that follows a grumpy old woman and a young boy both tangled in the web of the Mexican healthcare system. Watch it if you’re a fan of arcade games (a form of Space Invaders plays a significant part in the narrative), to navigate the brutalist buildings of Mexico City through the eyes of a 9 year-old, or if you’re simply a fan of modern Mexican films shot in black and white (see Roma, Gueros, or We Shall Not Be Moved).

From: Mexico, North America
Watch: IMDb, Trailer
Next: We Shall Not Be Moved, Gueros, Death of Mr. Lazarescu

Flies – The Breakdown

I was a little worried that this film was going to be a bit too loyal to its title. Five minutes in and all you’ve seen is an old lady (Olga) trying to swat a fly buzzing around her apartment. Breaking Bad had a 47-minute episode directed by Rian Johnson which follows the main characters trying to kill a fly in the meth lab for the majority of the episode, so my fear wasn’t unfounded. Luckily, the film soon introduces Cristian and his dad, who are looking for a place to stay in the city while his mum is in hospital.

The faults of the Mexican healthcare system bring Olga and Cristian together. Olga has just put a room in her apartment up for rent because she needs money to afford to remove her bunions. Meanwhile, Cristian and his dad need a cheap place to stay in the city whilst his mum is in hospital. They’re far from home, most likely because the specialists she needs can only be found in Mexico City. The same faults of the Mexican healthcare system also fuel Cristian’s relationship with Olga. Cristian’s dad only leaves Cristian alone at Olga’s apartment because he has to find work to pay for his wife’s desperately needed medicine. As the chain of events revolves around the healthcare system, Flies becomes a subtle critique of a system that fails to fully meet its citizens needs.

Despite the social critique which underlying the movie, Flies is a very warm-hearted film that offers an intimate glimpse into the lives of young Cristian and the solitary Olga. Through Cristian’s eyes and likability, the film takes us into the everyday corners of the city: the comedors (daily eateries), brutalist apartment blocks, and even the hospital’s security guard posts. Director Fernando Eimbcke conveys Cristian’s perspective naturally through these everyday shots and interactions, making the film a wonderful modern addition to the recent black and white releases showcasing neo-realist Mexico City alongside Gueros, We Shall Not Be Moved, and Eimbcke’s debut Duck Season.

2

Papi – Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival 2021

Papi

Sonia is a precocious 8-year-old girl with a vibrant imagination. Her flashbacks and surreal flights of fancy help her navigate life as the daughter of Papi, a drug dealer who returns from New York to become the biggest crime lord in the city.

For a first time feature, Noelia Quintero Herencia captures the slightly zany tone of Rita Indiana’s novel very well. She creates 8 year-old Sonia’s world by depicting her imagined fantasies alongside her reality. Doing this makes it harder for the viewer to figure out which scenes are real, making Sonia a pretty unreliable narrator. However, it also paints an interesting picture of her relationship with her dad.

Her two main fantasies consist of her leading a TV game show and spending time with her dad in the U.S. Both feel upbeat and happy, deliberately contrasting with her lonely reality at home. However, they both contain her dad’s vices – vices that at her age she’s just becoming aware of, such as her father’s infidelity and life as a criminal.

Her fantasies capture her changing perception of her dad as she grows up. She still imagines him as her hero, and herself as his princess, in a way that feels like she’s trying to hold onto her happy childhood memories. However, coming to terms with his criminal character, represents the end of her childhood alongside her idyllic childhood fantasies.

For an imaginative coming of age story that leans heavily on visualizing a kid’s imagination, Papi is well worth a watch.

Head to our LALIFF 2021 Hub for more reviews from the 20th edition of LALIFF.