Con el viento (2018)

Directed by: Meritxell Colell | 105 minutes | drama | Actors: Mónica García, Concha Canal, Ana Fernández, Elena Martín, Xavier Martín, Paquita Pérez, Rakhal Herrero, Florencio Ortega, José Mari Martín, Jose Mari Crespo

A Spanish woman returns to her native country after 20 years in Argentina for her father’s funeral. The family is happy to see her, but there is also coolness. The coolness of peasant families, it seems, but also of twenty years of absence.

There is a lot of silence in ‘Con el viento’; impressive natural images are shown. But after half an hour we are no further than wordless emotions. Raw mourning processes in silence, where have we seen that before? A deeper layer can be sought in the connection with Argentine silent films such as ‘La marea’ (2007).

The discrepancy between 47-year-old cosmopolitan Mónica (Mónica Garciá) and the grim reality of her decapitated core family is abrasive. Mónica’s mother and sisters don’t have to connect, the bond is just there – albeit basic and practical at first sight. Nice to look at isn’t it; Everyone is familiar with such situations to a greater or lesser extent. A distant relative is buried; do you really have to go? What does a death on the other side of the world mean to your reality?

The waiting is in ‘Con el viento’ for interpretation and catharsis. The farm must be sold, that much is clear. Perhaps that interpretation will not come at all. Why too? The home situation shown is limited enough to want to escape, and some want a blank reboot. You can feel Mónica’s constriction when she helps bring in the laundry in a storm: this is practically necessary, but not her world. It’s not surprising that you want to leave, if instead of talking you are grieving frantically.

Families are a prison, shows us Meritxell Colell. This Catalan debuts with a feature film after having produced several documentaries, including about architecture. A limited bio: this film apparently had to be made and certainly has documentary features with its amateur cast. Technically and visually skilled, but emotionally slow and without fireworks – barring a few star showers.