We’ve all gone through death, guilt, grief, and acceptance, the things that life unfortunately brings to us all. There have been so many films that showcase this, but I have to say that Mexican filmmaker Lila Avilés’ 2023 sophomore film Totem, is one of the most human and involving of them all.
Buy Tótem (Janus Contemporaries) Blu-rayTold through the eyes of Sol (Naima Senties, in a revelatory film debut), an unusually mature seven-year-old who is swept up by the emotional whirlwind of her sprawling Mexican family’s birthday preparations for her terminally ill father. As the 24-hour day builds to the inevitable, Sol and her family begin to come to terms with the reason for the celebration.
Totem is actually not a film for everyone, meaning that there’s no real action, just emotional turmoil. Some people will probably find it a chore to sit through, because the plot is pretty straightforward, but the way Aviles orchestrates it feels so lived and honest. The family at the center has outbursts, complications, and obvious grievances, just like all families. That’s what I connected to and was pretty awed by. I also loved Senties as Sol. She has a quietly expressive face and unusual grace for someone her age. She has the temperament to handle many obstacles that come her way. I think it’s one of the best child performances I’ve ever seen in cinema.
This film is a solid family drama, one that doesn’t manipulate its audience. It’s sad but hopeful, bewildering but relatable, simple but profound.
Special features include a new interview with Aviles, and a trailer.
