El Agua

El Agua (Switzerland/Spain, Elena Lopez Riera, 2022, 4 and a half stars, North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival)

Women disappear, according to local legend, when they defy the power of water and love. Yet how this happens exactly, no one can say.

Three generations of independent women including Ana, her mother, and grandmother, attempt to weather approaching storms within themselves as well as outside. When Ana falls in love she revels in the pleasure of the affair but also tries to stay afloat as waves crash against her. Ana's boyfriend is irritated at little things and doesn't seem to want the real Ana, rather he wants her to be what he needs. Ana needs help from other women to write the story of her own life.

El Agua is deep and meditative. It mixes reality and fantasy with tranquil scenes of women cutting lemons, flying doves, teenagers enjoying a swimming hole, trucks traversing the small town at night, and an outside dance party. It delves into themes of gender, power in the solidarity of women, ancestral fears, inner unrest, and love. El Agua first appeared at Cannes and utilizes non-professional actors. Director Elena Lopez Riera was at this North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. She believes that there is little or no difference between reality and fantasy, and wants people to question fears handed down to them from the past. I really enjoyed this story of a young woman keeping her head above water and gaining confidence in herself.

El Agua about and shot in Riera's hometown in Southern Spain, was driven by the nuances of the peoples' complicated sexual history as well as oranges and cursed water (and a ton of cigarettes). I respect that Riera took a risk by including real interviews with ladies from the town but upon seeing the first interview the film lost its momentum. Followed by long bouts of dialogue, it carried on for far too long to the point where the emotional arcs of each character became uninteresting. Riera did a great job using symbols and fables sprinkled throughout the film but didn't trust the audience enough with them. Those narrative themes felt forced through plenty of dialogue with what were otherwise very grounded performances all around. The scenes with Ana and her grandmother (Luna Pamiés and Nieve de Medina) were particularly easy to enjoy.

There is faith that Riera will return with a better film.

The 2022 Spanish impressionist film "El Agua" is a riveting character portrait of a young Spanish girl grappling with life's changes. The entire cast of the film is made up of non-professional actors which makes their performances even more impressive. I despise films and television shows that glamorizes smoking, alcohol consumption, and drug use. "El Agua" also repeatedly showcases animal cruelty and bestiality. In a world filled with conspiracy theories and news anchors spewing unreliable and misleading information, people are becoming less adept in distinguishing truth from fiction. Because of that the film might make people believe in certain superstitions and conspiracy theories. Despite that, "El Agua" is a quietly thrilling artwork that displays water as a powerful metaphor and leitmotif. The relationship forged between the two characters of the opposite sex can be juxtaposed with Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.

Final verdict: 8.5/10.