A birthday party for a dying father chronicles childhood before loss in 'Tótem'
Director Lila Avilés' film is a celebration of family and spirituality in contemporary Mexican society. And it's a beacon of how women filmmakers are becoming the new face of Mexican cinema.
In the film Tótem, 7-year-old Sol arrives at her grandparents' house in Mexico City for a birthday party donning a fluffy rainbow wig and a bright red clown nose. The soft-spoken girl, played by Naíma Sentíes, is reluctant to wear the costume. But she's ushered in by Cruz, her father's caretaker and the only adult not so overrun with party preparations that she cannot answer the door.
As Sol hesitantly stands near the door, Cruz, played by Teresita Sánchez, lovingly compliments her cheerful outfit.
"What's at the end of the rainbow, Sol?" Cruz asks in Spanish. "Gold. You are gold, Sol."
is an evocative family drama about a young girl
