80 egunean

I just saw this outstanding film at the World Film Festival in Montreal. It received a well-deserved, spontaneous applause from the audience. I saw 10 films at the festival, from all over the world, and this one was the highlight.The script is not obvious, and takes its time developing the story, of the renewed, but only temporary, friendship between two elderly women who meet again by accident. The characters and the joint history of the main protagonists are revealed in part through flashbacks. By the end of the film one really knows and loves them. Secondary characters are vivid and true to life. The ending is totally appropriate for the way the story has been going and leaves one with mixed feelings.

The premise of this film was solid but it never really got going. In moments of it's character development and interaction you felt the film could be good (as in 7 out of 10). Sadly those moments were few and undeveloped (thus earning it a 4). Geriatric love, by itself, is an underdeveloped area in film. This film addresses that topic and throws in infidelity, homosexuality, offspring dissonance and dying relatives. Why not the kitchen sink? The film could not stay focused and got very slow about mid way through. It's my feeling that if the two protagonists could have been left to the job of self examination without the distractions present in the film it would have been a rewarding experience.

80 egunean leaves me thinking: this movie is definitely based on a true story, otherwise Illmar Raag (writer and director) is a genius. It's one of those movies that makes me forget all the overrated action movies I've seen in the past months immediately.

For many movies I've watched in this genre, I just wished the story wasn't that louse or the acting was a bit more credible. The story of 80 egunean is rich and the acting is brilliant. Nice and appropriate music, good camera work, it's all there!

If one would say 'very good acting, knowing these people are seventy years old', I'd correct them with 'very good acting and WOW these people are seventy!' If one gets older, one acts better?

Don't expect a psychological masterpiece full of plot twists and surprises every couple of minutes. Don't expect a boring and predictable "I've seen it all before"-drama either! Expect a movie that slowly captures you and once it does, you'll feel sympathy, anger, compassion and sometimes you will even laugh too.

Although I was not watching this movie with smiling faces, I just wish it was a true story. It's so beautiful and catching. It's like a modern, non-cheesy and innovative fairy-tale.

Before watching the movie, I thought by myself: how will I explain to my friends that I've been watching a movie about grandma's who feel very close to each other? Isn't that weird? Now, I cannot wait to tell them. And no, it isn't weird at all!

Whether you like drama or not, 80 egunean will definitely get to you.

For 80 Days (2010) is a movie from the Basque country in Spain. (The original title, in the Basque language, was 80 Egunean.) The film was written and directed by Jon Garaño and José María Goenaga.

This interesting movie explores lesbian attraction between two older women. Axun (Itziar Aizpuru) and Maite (Mariasun Pagoaga) were friends as children. They shared a "practice kiss," but nothing more. They meet again 60 years later when, by chance, each is visiting a comatose patient in the hospital.

Life has taken them in very different directions. Axun is a traditional wife and mother in a rural community. Maite is an out lesbian, who is a pianist and professor of piano in the city of San Sebastián.

Still, a spark of the old friendship--and romantic attraction--remains. The plot revolves around the expression of that friendship and attraction for the 80 days in which the women are seeing each other at the hospital and elsewhere.

I've seen many international films, but I've never before seen a movie produced in the Basque Country. (The Basque language is not an Indo-European language--it isn't related to Spanish.) Seeing a movie from a different culture was interesting in itself. Happily, the movie was not only different, but it was also excellent.

This is a quiet, thought-provoking film. It's definitely worth seeking out and seeing. We saw it at the Little Theatre as part of the first-rate Image Out--the Rochester LGBT Film & Video Festival.