EL PARAISO

2023 / 106 min / color

Despite being in his forties, Julio Cesar still lives with his mother in a small house by the river, a place filled with memories. Everyday life for the two of them consists of working for a local drug trafficker; their only carefree times are evenings filled with Latin dancing. Director Enrico Maria Artale inserts a new character into this exotic yet somewhat tedious scenario: Ines, a young Colombian woman who has just made her first trip as a drug mule. The sudden presence of an attractive woman strongly affects the relationship between mother and son, and the emotions that come up compel them to take actions that will move them inexorably toward their fate. The film, which dominated the “Horizons” competition of last year’s Venice Film Festival (three awards!), is a story about the power of parental affection and all its consequences. Artale portrays the thin line between love and madness; between support and oppression. He questions how we can distinguish deep maternal affection from a paralyzing fear of loneliness.

• Venice IFF – Best Screenplay (Orizzonti Competition), Best Actress (Margarita Rosa de Francisco, Orrizonti Competition), Best Italian Film in Venice