EMA
****
Director: Pablo Larraín
Screenplay: Pablo Larraín, Guillermo Calderón and Alejandro Moreno
Principal cast:
Mariana Di Girólamo
Gael García Bernal
Paola Giannini
Santiago Cabrera
Cristián Suárez
Giannina Fruttero
Country: Chile
Classification: MA15+
Runtime: 107 mins.
Australian release date: 13 May 2021.
Like his other films shown in Australia, namely The Club, No, Neruda and Jackie, Pablo Larraín’s Ema packs a powerful, emotional punch. As he did with Jackie, the last to be released here, the Chilean director has created another searing exposé of grief and trauma as seen through the actions of a female lead, in this case, a dancer. Set in stunning Valparaíso on the coast of Chile (which has signs on almost every street corner pointing out escape routes in case of a tsunami), a lot of the action takes place high up in the hills, accessible by vintage funicular railways, in homes and halls perched on cliff faces. The location provides an edgy setting for a film about a woman caught between the desire to be artistically free and her wish to raise a family.
Ema (a mesmerising performance from Mariana Di Girólamo in her first leading role) is a platinum-blonde movement teacher, a devotee of reggaetón and dance-hall. She and her posse of gal-pals take to the streets to practice and perform their moves whenever they have the opportunity. They are part of a modern dance ensemble that is directed by Ema’s older husband, Gastón (Gael García Bernal), a choreographer who’s no fan of her choice of dance style. He thinks reggaetón is trashy. A shocking event has caused them to return their adopted son to child services and this has had a terrible effect on the couple. They desperately try to justify their actions to each other and cope with their guilt but the pain is taking a toll on their relationship. Gastón is full of anger and recrimination while Ema takes a different approach to the matter - she goes off on a path of her own in order to make amends and rectify the situation, but what she’s doing seems to be destroying not only their lives but also the lives of all around them.
Both leads in Ema deliver amazing performances but the focus is on Di Girólamo. The clash between Bernal’s passive/aggressive character and the almost psychotic energy of Ema makes sparks fly. The actors reveal their despair and confusion in tightly-framed close-ups and slow pans and these light up the screen, particularly in the case of Di Girólamo. The inventive screenplay keeps you guessing about Ema’s motivations through to the film’s surprising conclusion, when everything suddenly makes sense… in a weird way. Matched with energetic dance sequences, fabulous widescreen visuals, explicit sex scenes, awesome music and an impressive soundscape and Ema is a pulsating trip. Larraín’s choice of reggaetón as a metaphor for Ema’s free spirit is unusual, given that he was not familiar with the style before the film’s production, but it works well as a means of telling us that Ema is a woman who doesn’t care what people think of her. She and her crew dance wherever they see fit, regardless of who’s watching. The director says he “got to know [reggaetón] and understand why the entire generation that is represented in this film listens to this music. It has a rhythm that is everywhere, like any strong element that comes from pop culture. You’re there and you’re forced to live with it. It’s a cultural exercise that has its own ethical and aesthetic existence.”
First screened in Australia at this year’s Spanish Film Festival, Ema is now on general release. From its arresting opening shot of a burning traffic light suspended above a silent street to its intriguing, clever climax, it is one of the most original and physical films you will see this year.
Screenplay: Pablo Larraín, Guillermo Calderón and Alejandro Moreno
Principal cast:
Mariana Di Girólamo
Gael García Bernal
Paola Giannini
Santiago Cabrera
Cristián Suárez
Giannina Fruttero
Country: Chile
Classification: MA15+
Runtime: 107 mins.
Australian release date: 13 May 2021.
Like his other films shown in Australia, namely The Club, No, Neruda and Jackie, Pablo Larraín’s Ema packs a powerful, emotional punch. As he did with Jackie, the last to be released here, the Chilean director has created another searing exposé of grief and trauma as seen through the actions of a female lead, in this case, a dancer. Set in stunning Valparaíso on the coast of Chile (which has signs on almost every street corner pointing out escape routes in case of a tsunami), a lot of the action takes place high up in the hills, accessible by vintage funicular railways, in homes and halls perched on cliff faces. The location provides an edgy setting for a film about a woman caught between the desire to be artistically free and her wish to raise a family.
Ema (a mesmerising performance from Mariana Di Girólamo in her first leading role) is a platinum-blonde movement teacher, a devotee of reggaetón and dance-hall. She and her posse of gal-pals take to the streets to practice and perform their moves whenever they have the opportunity. They are part of a modern dance ensemble that is directed by Ema’s older husband, Gastón (Gael García Bernal), a choreographer who’s no fan of her choice of dance style. He thinks reggaetón is trashy. A shocking event has caused them to return their adopted son to child services and this has had a terrible effect on the couple. They desperately try to justify their actions to each other and cope with their guilt but the pain is taking a toll on their relationship. Gastón is full of anger and recrimination while Ema takes a different approach to the matter - she goes off on a path of her own in order to make amends and rectify the situation, but what she’s doing seems to be destroying not only their lives but also the lives of all around them.
Both leads in Ema deliver amazing performances but the focus is on Di Girólamo. The clash between Bernal’s passive/aggressive character and the almost psychotic energy of Ema makes sparks fly. The actors reveal their despair and confusion in tightly-framed close-ups and slow pans and these light up the screen, particularly in the case of Di Girólamo. The inventive screenplay keeps you guessing about Ema’s motivations through to the film’s surprising conclusion, when everything suddenly makes sense… in a weird way. Matched with energetic dance sequences, fabulous widescreen visuals, explicit sex scenes, awesome music and an impressive soundscape and Ema is a pulsating trip. Larraín’s choice of reggaetón as a metaphor for Ema’s free spirit is unusual, given that he was not familiar with the style before the film’s production, but it works well as a means of telling us that Ema is a woman who doesn’t care what people think of her. She and her crew dance wherever they see fit, regardless of who’s watching. The director says he “got to know [reggaetón] and understand why the entire generation that is represented in this film listens to this music. It has a rhythm that is everywhere, like any strong element that comes from pop culture. You’re there and you’re forced to live with it. It’s a cultural exercise that has its own ethical and aesthetic existence.”
First screened in Australia at this year’s Spanish Film Festival, Ema is now on general release. From its arresting opening shot of a burning traffic light suspended above a silent street to its intriguing, clever climax, it is one of the most original and physical films you will see this year.