Jorge Xolalpa's Lolita follows Jesus, on parole after serving time in prison, who just wants to see his daughter - who is in the care of his estranged step-brother and sister-in-law. Tensions are high in this family, as Jesus needs to rebuild their trust in order to see his daughter again. Difficulties while trying to find work leads to humiliation, temptation, and unhelpful mandatory therapy sessions where no one seems willing to let him seriously pursue his chance at redemption, giving us a heart-wrenching look at the American justice system and society at large, as it looks down on former convicts and the LGBT+ community.
Alexis Vazquez is tasked with carrying the immense weight of his character, a gay former drug addict/sex-worker with underlying childhood trauma which prevents him from trusting anyone, and succeeds at this. The scene where he opens his heart to his therapist rocked me to the bone. Just a powerful performance, perfectly complemented by a strong supporting cast.
Jorge Xolalpa's steady directorial hand and hard-hitting screenplay, in coordination with Luis Adrian Lara's skillful camera work drive this film home, making it feel real, lived-in, and relatable. Xolalpa's growth as a filmmaker since really shines through, a tremendous raw filmmaking talent who consistently delivers unique and interesting stories that we need more of right now.
Lolita is currently playing the festival circuit, so if you have the chance to see it, I highly recommend checking it out. Support independent film, you'll never know what gems you'll find. This is definitely one of them.
