Romería

Golden Bear winner Simón takes us to the majestic coast of Galicia in a spellbinding autobiographical drama about longing, family secrets, memory, and time.

When Marina visits her late father’s relatives in Vigo to sort out paperwork for a film school grant application, she—an image of her deceased mother—is both warmly welcomed and firmly pushed away. Through her mother’s diary and clues from parts of the family, she traces her parents’ love story, but also encounters drug addiction and chaos—and AIDS. Simón blends naturalistic family drama, digital video diary, nostalgic 1980s flashbacks, and cinematic magic into an enchanting film that weaves together what was, what is, and what could have been.

• Camilla Larsson