Paradise: A Mexican romantic comedy
(Paraíso)
Mariana Chenillo | Comedy, Fiction, Romance
2014 | 105 minutes | Mexico
Everything is going fine for childhood sweethearts Carmen and Alfredo in their own tranquil suburban paradise, until Alfredo’s job promotion forces them to move to bustling Mexico City.
Synopsis
Childhood sweethearts Carmen and Alfredo live a life of quiet bliss in Satélite, a sleepy suburb outside of Mexico City. When Alfredo is offered a promotion, the lovebirds make the move into the bustling metropolis. It’s a rude awakening for Carmen, who until now has not really worried about the fact that she and Alfredo are both overweight. After overhearing gossip about their bodies at a company party, she decides that it is time to swap donuts for salads, and urges Alfredo to join her in a weight-loss program. But when only one of them actually starts to slim down, a rift emerges in their relationship.
Portrayed with undeniable charm by newcomer Daniela Rincon and well-known Andres Alameida, Paradise touches upon issues of body image, self-confidence and happiness with candor and humor.
The film is executive-produced by Diego Luna and Gael García Bernal.
Reviews
“Mexican Filmmaker Mariana Chenillo charts the tricky evolution of enduring love with offbeat grace and charm in her new film, Paraíso. Exploring the deeply-held compulsions that we all have, and which oddly enough, can actually breed affection among those who love us most, she cheerfully sidesteps many of the modern romantic comedy’s most tiresome clichés with a recipe that includes one dash of Almodovar, a sprig of Mike White, and a generous helping of her own quirky romantic style.” – Brad Liberti, SCREEN PICKS
“Paraíso’s arrival marks a revival in Mexican comedy. It is a film that doesn’t treat the audience as dumb or conformist. Moving beyond the issue of obesity, we can all identify with the characters as people trying to follow standards of “happiness” imposed by trends or advertising.” – Blanco Samperio, CULTURA COLECTIVA
Citation
Main credits
Chenillo, Mariana (screenwriter)
Chenillo, Mariana (film director)
Cruz, Pablo (film producer)
Almeida, Andrés (actor)
Rincón, Daniela (actor)
Méndez, Luis Gerardo (actor)
Ferreira, Anabel (actor)
Other credits
Music, Dario González Valderrama; editor, Mariana Chenillo; director of photography, Yaron Orbach.
Citation
Cataloging
Pragda subjects
Keywords
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Festivals
Toronto International Film Festival
San Sebastian Film Festival
Miami International Film Festival
Dubai International Film Festival
Morelia International Film Festival
The Film Society of Lincoln Center Latinbeat
DIRECTOR: Mariana Chenillo
NATIONALITY: Mexico
YEAR: 2014
GENRE: Comedy, Fiction, Romance
LANGUAGE: Spanish
COLOR / B&W: Color
GRADE LEVEL: College, Adults
SUBTITLE/CC: AVAILABLE
AUDIO DESCRIPTION: NOT AVAILABLE
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