(director/writer: Alberto Sciamma; cinematographer: Alex Metcalfe; editor: Orlando Torres; music: Dave Graham, Cergio Prudencio; cast: Fernanda Gutierrez Aranda (Santa), Fernando Arze Echalar (Gustavo, cop), Sasha Salaverry (La Reina), Carla Arana (Paz, mother), Luis Bredow (Father Jaime), Cristian Mercado (Rodrigo), Juan Carlos Aduviri (father); Runtime: 107; MPAA Rating: NR; producers: John-Dutton Downer, Alexa Waugh, Bettina Kadoorie, Paola Gosalvez, Alberto Sciamma; Juno Films; 2025-UK/Bolivia-in Spanish)
“A weird magical realism film.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
A weird magical realism film directed & written by the auteur Alberto Sciamma (“Killer Tongue”/”Jericho Mansions”), who was born in Barcelona, Spain. This stirring Bolivian folklore and fantasy film blends its surreal imagery into a coming-of-age drama. In a visionary and spiritual sense, it somewhat reminds one of the visionary cult classic El Topo (1970).
The title translates to meaning the religious or spiritual realm.
It opens on a serene Bolivian Alpine lake in a remote village, where the adorable indigenous 8-year-old girl Santa (Fernanda Gutierrez Aranda) is playing on the shore and accidentally swallows a live goldfish she just caught in a hat. She then feels compelled to use a large rock to beat her father (Juan Carlos Aduviri) to death, and then stabs her impoverished mother (Carla Arana) to death to save her from a miserable life. Mom told her that good people go to heaven, and the little girl believed her and tries to now get her to paradise. She brings the goldfish out of her stomach alive by vomiting it out.
Santa has acquired a map of the stars, and places her mother’s body into a barrel and packs it with salt to keep it fresh. She treks off with the cart across the desert planning to bring the corpse directly to heaven. On the way she meets various people, including a grouchy old priest (Luis Bredow), who pays people with glowing stars in lieu of money, female wrestlers led by La Reina (Sasha Salaverry), and a lonely police officer (Fernando Arze Echalar) grieving the death of his wife three years ago. To all of them Santa speaks her mind, and will not be swayed from her mission.
It’s an absurd escapist tale of self-discovery, that deals with grief and a determination for a little girl to find a better life for her loving mom. It looks visually good, but has a few confusing twists and questions of believability.
It played at the Fantasia International Film Festival.
REVIEWED ON 7/10/2026 GRADE: B
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