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This is a soulful film that digs beneath surfaces, so the strength of performances is in their stillness. Garcia Bernal makes Ferdinand a thoughtful man who has seen a lot of pain but holds strong principles. His earnest sense of justice is bound to the morality of the period, which looks brutal today. This understated approach is matched by the expansive ensemble cast, as each actor brings out his or her own telling personal details. Babon is particularly vivid as the complex Enrique.

Fascinatingly, all of this is put into the context of the religious wars of the period, when Christians from Europe set out to wipe all other beliefs from the earth, converting or murdering and enslaving people in the name of God and the crown. The film also inventively captures the sense that Ferdinand and his crew were sailing into the unknown, inadvertently giving birth to a new world in the process. And the final sequence is properly powerful.

themes, violence sexuality

21.Nov.25

Little anecdotes reveal personalities and fill in playful stories about each of the characters, including small side roles like a bridegroom (Salem) who lost his sight due to a bombing before he could see his intended bride. Or the pregnant woman (Alwadi) who is preyed on by a shop clerk (Rheimeh). Performances are earthy and naturalistic, anchored by Nayyef's almost disarmingly honest reactions and connections. And Thabet gives Bibi a wonderful take-no-nonsense sassiness.

Assembled from a series of mini-adventures, the film is a refreshing mix of sparky comedy and darkly thoughtful drama. Because the narrative flows in natural rhythms, it's impossible to predict where it might go next. The realities of this time and place make it unlikely that Lamia will ever get to make her cake without miraculous, or at least kindly, intervention. Even more haunting is how these children can never forget that they are living in a war zone.

themes, language

18.Nov.25

Holding everything together, Moura delivers a strikingly internalised performance as a thoughtful, open-hearted man trying to keep his young son safe as shadowy forces gather against him. His connections with various people feel bracingly truthful, creating ripples of emotion and tension at every point. Particularly lovely moments include Marcelo and Fernando being unable to stop smiling whenever they're together. And Marcelo's romance with Guedes' fellow refugee Claudia is superbly offhanded.

But then the entire film has a loose, unstructured vibe, which allows the plot to unfold organically, echoed in present-day cutaways as a researcher (Lufesi) listens to recordings to solve mysteries that have remained unanswered for nearly half a century. And there are some seriously intense moments, as events escalate into bursts of heart-stopping violence. Because the narrative grows out of real historical context, there are provocative ideas that reverberate strongly today, knowingly exploring how people survive in times when officials and leaders embrace corruption.

themes, language, violence, sexuality

22.Nov.25