isla s
This is quite a touching film, with an intriguing and perhaps somewhat relatable story, about a woman who has lovely memories of her now ailing grandfather, who wants to bring back something she remembers him caring about a great deal, from when she was much younger and that has since slipped through their hands.
Its a thoughtful and symbolic film, with good performances and I'd recommend it.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
03/31/23
Full Review
Late R
Well-written and touching, the film uses the transplantation of an olive tree to address a number of deeper issues such as inter-personal (family) drama involving hidden feelings and deep-running past grievances, to economic issues in Spain and the strain in puts on the people; it even finds a way to squeeze in a message about the lack of respect for nature in the form of ecological damage. The focus of the film, however, is the strong emotional core and a passionate central performance from Anna Castillo ensures that it has the desired effect whilst class-act Javier Gutiérrez is in support, giving her someone to bounce emotions off of as well as providing a smattering of subtle humour that is much welcomed.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
06/06/21
Full Review
Audience Member
El Olivo
The film based on a small community living in rural Spain, explores several themes deriving from the harsh reality of sustaining life and businesses in a rural setting and the pressures it places on finances, family bonds and traditional farming practices.
At its heart is an ancient symbol of El Campo, el olivo, and a rural woman's quest to recover a 2,000 year old olive tree, sold many years before after fierce family protests to finance diversification of the farm.
The uprooting of the tree has a profound impact on both a young girl (Alma) and her abuelo. The abuelo is so distraught by the loss of the tree and the broken, once unending, tradition that it signifies , that he withdraws into himself and is unable to speak and refuses to eat. He builds a shrine of stones which is built up daily as a reminder of what has been lost to him and the farm and where he grieves its loss daily.
Alma as an older woman struggles to meet the hard physical demands of running the farm and yet feels keenly the deep sadness of loss and hopelessness of her abuelo. Her emotional distress is compounded by the responsibility for caring for her abuelo in addition to her working on the farm.
Struggling with her own demons she engages in drunken partying and in one scene she engages in a cold rollo con un hombre. But in common with all rural women, she does not have the luxury for self-pitying. Instead she sets out on a mission to recover the tree, or as it transpires later, a vital life giving part of it at least.
The film at this point focuses on how large scale industrial giants reap environmental destruction without regard to Las Mujeres Rurales love or intuitive feel for el Campo. It is pitted like a Goliath against the thousands of small farms struggling to survive. One such business, was the eventual buyer of the ancient olive tree that once stood on the farm.
Stealing the folklore element of el olivo and it's symbolism of life and sustainability, it lies in an artificially glass screened building, fed not by the earth and rain but literally estranged from el campo in a sterile and barren environment. It serves perhaps as a warning of all that is to come if we do not seek to protect ancient traditions and value el campo.
Alma taking matters into her own hands, enlists by sheer force of character the help of her friends and family and sets out to return the ‘family tree' to the farm and to restore the spirit of life in her abuelo. Although she manages to bring just a small sprig of the tree, she is too late as her abuelo has died. None the less, she places the sprig in her grand father's hands before re-grafting the branch onto an older root, just as her abuelo had taught her. She replants it with the help of her father at the center of the shrine. Thus the bond between the generations is restored, the land is again made complete and the symbolism between Alma and her abuelo and the grafting of new stock onto old, to continue an unbroken link in rural life and tradition is not lost on us.
It is this very resilience, fertility and regeneration of the olivo which is embodied in the life of Las Mujeres everywhere. They share a dual dependency with el campo for the continuation of both life and traditions across the generations, and indeed whole civilizations.
Today's rural women, isolated geographically and culturally, suffer deprivations and struggles which go largely unrecognized in the modern World, at times it can be a heavy burden to bare, but one which no rural woman is prepared to put down without a fight.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
02/04/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Trees, the pen the earth's holding to write its fate.
Check about this film on the internet, it is definitely an under- noticed film. But decently rated, which deserve even better than that. Once you watched it, you would be surprised to know how such a beautiful tale went unnoticed. If I had a chance, I would have selected it for the Oscars to represent Spain, instead of 'Julieta'. Written by an Irish writer in English, but made into a Spanish film. A simple storyline, though an inspiring film. This is why one should watch non-Hollywood films as well very often.
First of all, it was not the first film to deal on such thematic. But nicely created an atmosphere where the characters flourished under. Particularly the character Alma, the backbone of the narration. Proves why the actress who played the role deserved the Goya Award. The remaining cast too was good. It was not a pure drama, though a bit of adventure, fun and a tiny bit of suspense like what might happen next make you get glued to it.
The story of the granddaughter-grandfather relationship through their family tree that's two millennia old. But the rest of the family members are not happy as they are financially struggling to work on the farm. To them the tree is the answer which could replace a restaurant they are planning for. Now the grownup granddaughter, unable to console her grandpa who has been heartbroken for years, is set to retrieve the tree at any cost. She teams up with her uncle and a friend, and their cross-border adventure begins.
It was not exactly a pre-planned road trip. But somewhat everything comes along for them. You would expect so many things to happen, but the writer has a different opinion. Especially with that Statue of Liberty, I really expected what most of the viewers would do in a situation. Even the conclusion was not something twisty as it should have been. Only if it was a regular film, but it was not. Still, I liked it being realistic than having a cinematic or a fairy-tale ending. Though most of the people think the message was not right.
?Sometimes you just have to dive in. Head first.?
I have heard a small beautiful story somewhere. I think in Quora. It was about Giant Sequoia, centuries ago when the forest was destroyed due to wildfire, someone asked that how long does it take to grow a new tree this big! The answer was thousands of years. So his reply was: then we should not waste a minute, let's start seeding. This film clearly depicts with quite similar moral. A kind of mindset we all need the most right now.
I loved the concept about saving a tree. Because that's similar to my believe. Once I had a FB profile picture with a quote, saying 'save plants, eat meat'. I have a soft corner to plants than animals (but still I love animals equally). At least animals could have a chance, but plants does not. They can't move, they're fixed. Hence, I eat only fruits and vegetables (which are plant's excreta as they love animals in exchange as that's how the cycle works in the nature), not leaves and branches like cows and sheep. This is one of the reasons why I loved this film very much.
The film did not focus on the farmer's struggle. Or the corporate's evil deeds. While the lifestyle in the world becoming so rich and modern, the farmers still remaining the same. On the other hand, the corporations becoming very fancy every day. So that's where this story comes in. Because money buys anything in the world. Striking emotions at the right time, the tale took a small twist, but course changing for the narration. Reminds us that the film has reached its other end
If you are not interested in all those things, but just an entertainment, then fine it has that too. The film was made with criteria to meet the expectation from all the quarters. The farmers, corporate, tourism, corrupt politician, all these were the platform. Most of them were not deep enough that you could notice. Everything's understandable. But wherever it goes, comes back to the tree. The tree remains the centre throughout the narration.
This is not like those films to say worth a watch. It should be watched in my opinion. Because what we teach our kids and what we do in reality, all has consequences. In this era where global warming is a thing, trees are precious, even one. Because everything starts from one. So just don't expect like a fight to save Amazonia.
8/10
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
01/30/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Heart warming Spanish drama with a great performance by Anna Castillo
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
01/31/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Heartfelt little adventure though the stubbornness jars a little.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
02/11/23
Full Review
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