A couple in their late fifties, Chiquita (Margarita Irun) and Chela (Ana Brun) have been able to live comfortably, and with some social standing, on the wealth inherited from their families. But now money is getting tight and they are selling off some of the heirlooms. Chiquita is the driving force, pushing things along, Chela is an artist, quieter, prone to depression.
When Chiquita is imprisoned on fraud charges Chela is forced to emerge from her place in the background and find a way to earn some money. In doing so she starts to rediscover aspects of her own personality, long submerged within the relationship, and realising that when her partner returns she won't be able to fit back into the same mould, that there must be more to life than what was there before.
A slow burning tale, shot in short scenes and with a lot of close ups. An almost entirely female cast, the few men in bit parts, with dialogue bouncing along on the surface of the underlying emotions. And a stunning central performance from Brun who conveys so much while saying little. A performance of the eyes.
The film is a bold statement coming from a Paraguay that (the director told us after the screening) remains fixated on macho culture, yet is so much driven by the actions of women. It's a universally applicable study of the power dynamic in relationships, and what people sacrifice, often without realising, to make them work. A brilliant achievement, and no surprise that it's been winning so many awards at festivals.
The Heiresses gets a UK release in September and is well worth seeking out.
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