Short Films

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Best of The Fests

TÓTEM
TÓTEM

• Director: Lila Avilés
• MEXICO, DENMARK, FRANCE  / 2023 / DCP / Colour / 95’ / Spanish; Turkish,  English s.t.

• Screenplay: Lila Avilés
• Director of Photography: Diego Tenorio
• Editing: Omar Guzmán
• Music: Thomas Becka
• Cast: Naíma Sentíes, Monserrat Marañon, Marisol Gasé, Saori Gurza, Teresita Sánchez, Mateo García Elizondo, Juan Francisco Maldonado, Iazua Larios, Alberto Amador
• Producer: Tatiana Graullera, Lila Avilés, Louise Riousse
• Production Co.: Limerencia Films, Laterna Film
• World Sales: Alpha Violet

2023 Berlin Ecumenical Jury Prize

The portrait of a Mexican family is drawn once again, this time through the eyes of a young girl in Lila Avilés’ latest film that premiered in the main competition at the 2023 Berlin Film Festival. The central hero is the glittering, shining seven-year-old Sol (sun in Spanish,) who lives in a happy home within a happy, crowded family. Highlighting bodily needs as well as emotional ones, Totém follows Sol’s family as they prepare for a lit surprise birthday dinner in the garden for Sol’s father. Throughout the day, chaos slowly takes over, fracturing the family’s foundations. Sol will come to understand that her world is about to change dramatically, embracing the essence of letting go and cherishing the breath of life. ‘To think about death is to think about life,’ says Mexican auteur filmmaker Lila Avilés whose previous film The Chambermaid was screened at the festival in 2019 and lead actress Gabriela Cartol had visited the festival.

This film was a Meetings on the Bridge participant.