Institute History
Description
Devoutly religious Cruz leads a routine existence with her husband and precocious granddaughter Viky, while her daughter Carlota chases her dream of becoming a professional dancer in Vienna. A single errant click while attempting to navigate the internet momentarily exposes Cruz to online pornography. She’s mortified but suddenly reminded of her own desires. Initially unsure of where to aim her newly rediscovered sensuality, Cruz fruitlessly looks to her beloved church and befuddled husband for satisfaction before finding solace in a women’s sex therapy group and beginning a tentative journey toward self-love.
Co-writer/director Patricia Ortega’s spirited, sensitive film imbeds a celebration of Cruz’s sexual reawakening within its satire of religious repression before blossoming into a tender, honest depiction of the woman’s resolve to reassess and redefine her entire existence. Veteran actor Kiti Mánver portrays Cruz with tremendous warmth and openness, sweeping the audience up along with her in her transformation. Meanwhile, Fran Fernández Pardo’s cinematography delicately frames the character’s frustration and embodies her longing to break through the barriers that have defined her life for so long.