Aging teacher Carmela has a special heart for pupils from broken homes and is challenged by the headmaster to follow up 12 year old Chala which is infatuated in Yeni. They are both poor, and... Read allAging teacher Carmela has a special heart for pupils from broken homes and is challenged by the headmaster to follow up 12 year old Chala which is infatuated in Yeni. They are both poor, and has severe home troubles.Aging teacher Carmela has a special heart for pupils from broken homes and is challenged by the headmaster to follow up 12 year old Chala which is infatuated in Yeni. They are both poor, and has severe home troubles.
- Director
- Writers
- Stars
- Awards
- 21 wins & 12 nominations total
- Mercedes
- (as Idalmis García)
- Mirta
- (as Anniet Forte)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Featured reviews
Aging teacher Carmela has an extra place in her heart for the kids coming from broken families and difficult family relations. 11 year old Chala is a troublemaker, and earn the money to keep his mother running on drugs and alcohol by training special pigeons and dogs for illegal dog fights.He is infatuating with class mate Yeni, which hasn't got the proper right to attend school, because her father is work-less and outside of his county. Carmela gets in trouble by her support for these two pupils, and the young headmaster wants her dismissed. It's also a love story, and a story about a teachers' importance.
This film is simply amazingly well made. Perfect photography, amazing acting in a perfect script. This could simply not be made better in any way! Young Chala is played so amazingly well by Armando Valdez Freire that it's almost unbelievable. The others are equaling the play. Such amazing instruction. So natural, so real, and upright charming.
The film in some way resembles Walter Salles amazing "Central do Brazil" (1998) and also to some extent "Dead Poets Society" (1989), but is even better.
I saw this film with English subtitles on the premiere night at the Films from the South Festival in Oslo in a packed theater giving standing ovations after screening.
Treat yourself to see this. In fact, go head over heels to see it. But remember to bring some napkins to stop the tears. What a gem! What a film!
What to criticize on such a film? Hm... I surrender!!!
Also, the energy of the young lead actors was amazing. So strong. Boy/girl stuff far beyond the limited scope of typical films. These are tough people for ones so young. Totally impressive, let alone both so physically attractive for their ages, especially in the faces. So expressive!
Incredible work considering the subject matter.
So, we see it. What are we going to do about it? How do we return sovereignty to countries, and exchange such cultural diversities?
Thx, SLAFF, for presenting such an incredible film!
Did you know
- TriviaOfficial submission of Cuba to the best foreign language film category of the 87th Academy Awards 2015.
- Quotes
Carmela: Every year, I have a Chala in my class. None of them has ever been stronger than me, because, at heart, they are all children. There are four things you need to bring up a child: a home, a school, rigor and affection. But outside that door, there's the street, and a teacher needs to know what's waiting for them out there. In the past, life was clearer, and I knew what I was preparing my students for. Now, the only thing clear to me is what not to prepare them for.
Details
Box office
- Gross worldwide
- $147,731
- Runtime
- 1h 48m(108 min)
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1