Tótem
by Lila Avilés
Logline
Seven-year-old Sol spends the day at her grandfather’s home, helping with the preparations for a surprise party for her father. Throughout the day, chaos slowly takes over, fracturing the family’s foundations. Sol will embrace the essence of letting go as a release for existence.
Synopsis
TÓTEM is a choral film about life. Seven-year-old Sol spends the day at her grandfather’s home, helping her aunts Nuri and Alejandra with the preparations for a surprise party they are throwing for Sol’s father, Tonatiuh. As daylight fades, a strange and chaotic atmosphere takes over, shattering the bonds that hold a family together. Sol will come to understand that her world is about to change dramatically, embracing the essence of letting go and cherishing the breath of life.
Details
Written & Directed by
Lila Avilés
Produced by
Tatiana Graullera, Lila Avilés, Louise Riousse
Coproduced by
Per Damgaard Hansen (Paloma Productions), Jean-Baptiste Bailly-Maitre (Alpha Violet Production)
With the support of Eficine Produccion-BBVA, Danish Film Institute, HBF Hubert Bals, Aide aux Cinémas du Monde, CNC, Visions Sud Est with the support of the SDC
Cast
Sol : Naíma Sentíes
Nuri : Montserrat Marañon
Alejandra : Marisol Gasé
Esther : Saori Gurza
Tonatiuh : Mateo García Elizondo
Cruz : Teresita Sánchez
Napo: Juan Francisco Maldonado
Lucía: Iazua Larios
Roberto: Alberto Amador
Crew
Diego Tenorio, Cinematographer
Omar Guzmán, Editor
Guido Berenblum, Sound design
Rune Palving, Sound mixer
Nohemi González Martínez, Art direction
Nora Solís & Jimena Fernández, Costume designers
Vanessa Campos, Make up
Gabriela Cartol & Lila Avilés, Casting
Thomas Becka, Music
Carmina Carballal, Assistant Director
Héctor Zubieta, Line Producer
Festivals
Berlin International Film Festival- OFFICIAL COMPETITION – Ecumenical Jury Award
FEST Belgrade
New Directors/ New Films at Lincoln Center
Cinélatino de Toulouse – AUDIENCE AWARD
Vilnius Film Festival – Critics’ Choice
Hong Kong International Film Festival- GRAND PRIX Firebird Award
Istanbul Film Festival- Best of Fest
Festival Cinematográfico Internacional del Uruguay- International Competition
Beijing International Film Festival – BEST DIRECTOR/ BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS/ BEST MUSIC
Cannes Ecrans Juniors
Shanghai International Film Festival
Flying Broom International Women’s Film Festival – FIPRESCI AWARD
FEST New Directors/ New Films – BEST FILM AWARD
Transilvania International Film Festival
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival – Horizons
Jerusalem International Film Festival – BEST DIRECTOR AWARD
New Horizons Festival- Visa Gala
New Zealand International Film Festival
Durban International Film Festival- BEST DIRECTION AWARD
Melbourne International Film Festival – SPECIAL JURY MENTION
Sarajevo Film Festival
Festival de Cine de Lima – BEST FEATURE FILM & BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
World Cinema Amsterdam – Competition
Seoul Women’s International Film Festival – BEST DIRECTOR
Telluride International Film Festival
AFI Fest Latin American
Bucharest International Film Festival – Official Competition
Helsinki International Film Festival
Mill Valley Film Festival
Sante Fe International Film Festival
San Sebastian International Film Festival – Horizontes Latinos
Festival Biarritz Amérique Latine
TÓTEM is the Official Candidate for the Oscar®
Ourense Film Festival
London BFI Film Festival – Love
Athens International Film Festival – International Competition
Viva Mexico (Paris) – AUDIENCE AWARD & THE SORBONNE’S JURY AWARD
Chicago International Film Festival – International Competition
Middleburg Film Festival
Philadelphia Film Festival- HONORABLE MENTION for Best Actor for Naíma Sentíes
Kyiv Critics’ Week
Tokyo International Film Festival – World Focus
Rio International Film Festival
FIC Gáldar Canarias – BEST FILM
Ghent International Film Festival
Viennale
Festival de Cine de Morelia- BEST FICTION FEATURE FILM, BEST DIRECTOR & AUDIENCE AWARD
Jakarta Film Week- GLOBAL FEATURE AWARD
JIO Mumbai Film Festival
Denver Film Festival – KRZYSZTOF KIESLOWSKI AWARD WINNER FOR BEST FEATURE FILM
Singapore International Film Festival – Horizons
International Film Festival of Kerala – International Competition
The Gotham Awards – Best International Feature Nominee
El Gouna International Film Festival – Official Selection
Film Independent Spirit Awards – Best International Film Nominee
International Film Festival of Kerala – International Competition
Chennai International Film Festival – World Cinema
La Habana Film Festival – BEST FILM/ BEST SCRIPT/ BEST DIRECTOR
2024
Göteborg Film Festival – International Competition
Pune International Film Festival – Global Cinema
MOOOV Film Festival
Outstanding Reviews
Variety – Peter De Bruge “Secrets Are Made and Truths Revealed at an Unforgettable Family Gathering”
The NY Times – Jessica Kiang “Avilés manages to corral both, often in the very same shot, delivering deceptively naturalistic performances that plunge us into a young girl’s first experience of the terrible and beautiful coexistence of life and death.”
Le Monde – Clarisse Fabre “The singularity of the project and the sum of tragicomic events that burst like mini fireworks put us in a state of exhilaration.”
The Playlist – Carlos Aguilar “Tótem feels richer in its sublimely compassionate, cinematic observations on subjects for which words alone wouldn’t suffice”
Screen International – Jonathan Romney “Lila Avilés achieves this feat with elegance and insight in Tótem” , “this thematically rich piece offers a set of vivid character studies, while musing on life, death and time”
The Hollywood Reporter – Leslie Felperin “Tótem packs in a massive amount of drama into a small space, and the rewards are immense”
The Film Stage – Rory O’Conor “a beautiful, bustling portrait of a Mexican family”
ION Cinema – Nicolas Bell “Life and Death of the Party: Avilés’ ensemble piece balances pain & profundity”
The Moveable – Stephen Salto “Lila Avilés’ spellbinding Tótem puts a hold on you”
The Film Verdict – Lucy Virgen ” great sensibility and a strong hand in Tótem”
Loud and Clear – William Sottor “an expertly crafted family drama that finds human connection and clashes within confined interiors.”
Little White Lies – Marina Ashioti “affective … impressive.. culminating in an extra-sensory experience”
Cineuropa – Fabien Lemercier “a delicate, perceptive and super sensitive story”
The NY Times – Manohla Dargis “One of the finest movies you’ll see this year.”
With the support of
