Alba
(Alba)
Ana Cristina Barragán | Drama, Fiction
2016 | 94 minutes | Ecuador, Mexico, Greece
A coming-of-age film that is both heart-rending and unsentimental, the film follows Alba as family and social circumstances force her to pave her way into adolescence.
Synopsis
Alba is eleven years old. One afternoon, her mother is admitted in the hospital and she has to move to live with Igor, a father she barely knows. Igor’s attempts to get closer to Alba, school girls, her first kiss...all are stimulus that pave her way into adolescence and to accept her family.
Alba is a coming-of-age film that is both heart-rending and unsentimental. It’s striking that such a mature and powerful debut comes from Ecuador, the country that until the beginning of this century had only made one film a year. Young leading actress Macarena Arias is one to keep an eye on. She manages to use a minimum of dialogue to devastating effect.
Reviews
"Alba makes Ecuadorian cinema shine." — Andréas Rodríguez, El País
"The claim of Ecuadorian cinema to a higher international profile is strengthened considerably by Ana Cristina Barragan's Alba...It is loaded with weepie potential but diligently shuns the facile at every turn, playing it for an emotional truthfulness which is embodied in a fine, trembling central performance by Macarena Arias and in its sensitive, empathetic script." — Jonathan Holland, The Hollywood Reporter
"With Alba, the director manages to communicate with the whole world." — Alonso Díaz de la Vega, El Universal
"A Latin American film that clearly shows that you can tell a good story without large production." — Rafael Rosales Santos, Konexión
Citation
Main credits
Cristina Barragan, Ana (film director)
Cristina Barragan, Ana (screenwriter)
Merino, Amaia (actor)
Arias, Macarena (actor)
Aguirre Andrade, Pablo (actor)
Parra, Isabel (film producer)
Other credits
Cinematography, Simón Brauer; editor, Yibran Asuad.
Citation
Cataloging
Pragda subjects
Economics + Social Class Issues
Family
Health + Aging
South America
Women
Youth
Keywords
Clips
Festivals
International Film Festival Rotterdam - Lions Films Award
Cinélatino Rencontres de Toulouse - FIPRESCI Award
Rail D’Oc prix
International Women's Film Festival Cologne - Best Feature Film
San Sebastián Film Festival - Jury Mention
Lima Film Festival - Best First Feature Film Premio APC
Altura International Film Festival - Best Film, Best Actress, Audience Award
DIRECTOR: Ana Cristina Barragán
NATIONALITY: Ecuador, Mexico, Greece
YEAR: 2016
GENRE: Drama, Fiction
LANGUAGE: Spanish
COLOR / B&W: Color
GRADE LEVEL: High School, College, Adults
SUBTITLE/CC: NOT AVAILABLE
AUDIO DESCRIPTION: NOT AVAILABLE
Existing customers, please log in to view this film.
New to Pragda? Register to request a quote.
Related Films
Alma
Estación catorce
A World for Julius
Un mundo para Julius
The Visitor
El visitante
A School in Cerro Hueso
Una escuela en Cerro Hueso
Infantry
Infantaria
A Bruddah's Mind
Cabeça de nêgo
I Girl
Yo niña
Sisters in the End of the World
Irmã
Fed-up
Harta
Damiana
Aurora and the House of Lights
Aurora y la casa de las luces
Bad Hair
Pelo malo
Black Bread
Pa negre
Here on Earth
Acá en la Tierra
Related Collections
Fiction Films
A compelling glimpse into Spain and Latin America's rich storytelling traditions, showcasing a blend of established directors and emerging voices. Each film highlights the depth and creativity of the region.
Number of titles: 275
SEE COLLECTION >Spanish Language Films
A cinematic highlight of the magic and diversity of the Spanish language.
Number of titles: 440
SEE COLLECTION >Women's Voices
These films challenge dominant narratives and offer compelling feminine visions of the region's past, present, and future.
Number of titles: 216
SEE COLLECTION >High School Collection
Given varying criteria for content ratings and age restrictions in different regions, Pragda STREAM recommends faculty watch films in their entirety before assigning them to students.
Number of titles: 509
SEE COLLECTION >The Pragda Complete Film Collection
The essence of Spain and Latin America captured in their original language with English captions or subtitles.
Number of titles: 637
SEE COLLECTION >Labor Lens: Work and Society
A cinematic exploration of the complexities, struggles, and triumphs of the working world, showcasing the diverse narratives and experiences that shape our understanding of labor and its context.
Number of titles: 238
SEE COLLECTION >