© TIFF
Two years after captivating audiences with her debut feature, Angeles Cruz returns with another stunning work set in Oaxaca, Mexico. “Valentina or the Serenity” is a small film that serves as a haunting yet tender exploration of grief observed through the innocent eyes of a child.
Original Title: Valentina o la serenidad
Directed by: Angeles Cruz
Year: 2023
Country: Mexico
Length: 86 minutes
The film follows Valentina (portrayed with a high level of genuineness by Danae Ahuja Aparicio), a young girl who is forced to face reality and come to terms with the sudden loss of her father. The narrative begins in the middle of her usual playtime with a friend, Pedro, interrupted by the arrival of a woman bearing the news of her father’s accident. The film showcases Valentina’s struggle to understand the reality of death as she navigates grief through its various stages.
Angeles Cruz transports the viewer into the disorienting world of a child coping with loss. Valentina’s confusion is rendered palpable as she sees glimpses of her father’s face in his coffin and proceeds to search for traces of him in the natural world. She stubbornly clings to her grief, failing to comprehend the finality of death but forever yearning for a sign of his return. Cruz’s deft handling of this sensitive subject matter reveals a story that is as heart-wrenching as it is true to life.
Cruz’s screenplay delivers authentic dialogue that highlights a child’s natural reactions to a harrowing experience. One of the most moving parts of the movie is the funeral scene, which is a deeply emotional setting that symbolizes Valentina’s confusion and detachment. Her innocent question, “what happened to that man?” while looking at her father’s bloated and purple face in the coffin, highlights the gap between childhood innocence and the harsh realities of life. This emotional journey doesn’t stop there; it extends into Valentina’s desperate searches in nature, often accompanied by Pedro. She looks for signs in nature, perhaps something magical, that could bring her father back. This reflects a child’s hope that something beyond reality can fix her broken world.
The film’s cinematography deserves a special mention for its astonishing close-up shots and character-driven focus, offering a glimpse into the characters’ emotional states at the most crucial moments, reminiscent of the intimate storytelling techniques employed by fellow Mexican filmmaker Tatiana Huézo. Following the actors with the camera, cinematographer Carlos Correa establishes a more vivid and emotional bond between the characters and the audience, resulting in a more visual-based type of storytelling that connects the audience to the characters on screen and captures the complexity of grief and childhood innocence in an incredibly accurate manner.
Another striking aspect of “Valentina or the Serenity” is Myriam Bravo’s powerful supporting performance. A frequent collaborator of Cruz, Bravo flawlessly portrays the emotional turmoil of a widow who must not only cope with the loss of her husband but also console her daughter, navigating through various stages of grief. The subtlety with which she conveys a complex range of emotions heightens the film’s authenticity by adding such an organic and raw layer of depth to her character. With mere glances and silent expressions, Bravo is able to capture the duality of her role: a mother torn between her own despair and the necessity to heal her daughter from hers.
The film’s overall quality is impressive, but the editing could benefit from some refinement. While certain cuts, such as the fleeting glimpses of the father’s face during the funeral, are effective and manage to invoke strong emotional responses from the viewer, the film could benefit from less frequent quick cuts. A slower pace would provide more room for the characters to breathe and allow the audience to more fully absorb their emotions. At times, the rapid editing appears to be hurrying a story that warrants a more measured tempo.
While the film could benefit from more deliberate pacing in its editing, “Valentina or the Serenity” is an impactful work by the talented Angeles Cruz. It delves into the raw emotions of grief through a child’s experiences, offering an authentic portrayal of loss. The narrative is enriched by the film’s intimate cinematography, capturing the genuine emotional journey of its characters. The film’s genuine performances, particularly Myriam Bravo’s nuanced performance as the protagonist’s mother, add a significant amount of emotional depth to the story. Overall, the film is a haunting yet tender exploration of grief’s many facets.
“Valentina or the Serenity” premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival as part of its Discovery lineup
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