Again Once Again

Contemplative film about a mother's doubts about her ongoing relationship with her boyfriend. She visits her mother and looks at the alternatives, including a student to whom he teaches basic German and her best friend's younger sister. It feels honest rather than self-indulgent, enhanced by slide show (& tableaux) interludes. Romina's young son is a natural and delights in every scene. Railway track end on the nose.

Argentinian actress and author Romina Paula's debut feature is a delicate, touching and humanistic look at the cycle of life, its ups and downs, and its need to reinvent itself throughout the journey. Dealing with a complicated existential crisis, and an unbalanced marriage, a woman returns to her mother's home along with her 3 year-old son seeking to overcome the situation. She does everything possible to enjoy that "vacation", meeting up with old friends, attending parties, working on a teaching gig, and finding comfort in a couple of enthusiastic flirts. But mostly, she's reconnecting to her roots, to her mother, discovering and preparing her son, and also examining herself as an important piece of the family tree and as a loyal partner. Filled with charismatic performances, truthful dialogue, and brilliantly blending documentary and fiction, Paula conceived a sensitive, utterly feminine and rich meditation on motherhood and the responsibilities of family. Bravo!