QUICK AND DIRTY: LIVE FROM TIFF ROMANIA

Fede (Miguel González) lives with his kind, devoted and overly emotional mother (Jenny Navarrete) and her partner. His only brother Simon lives with their father. They are about the same age, and about to finish secondary education (an occasion that shall be sealed with a pompous prom celebration). But Simon is deeply unhappy. His ex-girlfriend Laura (Ilona Almansa) rejects his advances, and wants no more than an amicable relationship. He is tortured by thought of her new partner “fucking” her, and sends her constant abusive messages. He barely talks to his mother because he doesn’t get on with his stepdad, we’re told. He’s lost and lonely.

One evening, the two brothers attend an alcohol- and drug-fuelled party. Laura too is present. Suddenly, Simon falls from the rooftop, and his smashes against the pavement below, with a pool of blood surrounding it. Nobody is entirely sure of what happened. Did he commit suicide, did his intoxication lead to an accident, or did someone murder him? A police investigation quickly rules out the third option, firmly establishing that this is not a homicide. This revelation is of little comfort for Fede and Laura, who feel guilty for the tragedy.

His mother becomes overwrought with despair, her mental and physical health quickly deteriorating, in a devastating performance by Navarrete (the strongest one in the film). She constantly questions herself and everyone else: “why didn’t you stop him?”. A medium with very questionable methods (such as spitting all over the bereaved mother) is about the only person who can console the poor woman, providing the film with a touch of humour. The self-appointed psychic claims that Simon is talking to her, that he is in peace, and indeed that he chose to take his own life.

Juan Sebastián Quebrada’s sophomore feature (after Strange Days in 2015) starts out as a high-octane drama, with the horrific death of a young man and the tragic repercussions for the loved ones. It loses some steam roughly halfway through the 89-minute story, after the dilemmas of guilt and grief become repetitive. Another problem is that the relationship between Fede and Simon is barely explored because he dies too early into the story, and the father character is poorly dissected. Instead, the director opts to move the focus towards Fede and Laura, who seem romantically attracted to one another. The film sails through a storm of emotions, and also raises questions (which are never answered) about the true nature of the brotherly relations. While there is little doubt that Fede loved and misses his brother, it is unclear whether he was having sex with Laura while his brother was still alive.

Fine acting and credible developments help to craft a vividly painful portrait of youth. Should Fede and Laura finish school, attend the prom, and perhaps even allow their most intimate sentiments to prevail? Or is there a minimum amount of time required for mourning? Mum’s constant outbursts of rage and depression serve to complicate things further. On the positive side, maybe there is enough latent love and affection to heal the wounds and reclaim a relatively normal family life. Teenagers are wild and passionate beasts, but they too possess a profound sense of empathy and humanity. A difficult watch, yet not entirely dark and without hope. There’s a crack in everything, and that’s how the light gets in. The writing is on the wall: Fede, Laura and mum are entitled to renovation and happiness.

The Other Son shows in Competition at the 23rd edition of Tiff Romania.