Pobres mujeres

The central characters are sisters Flora, in her seventies, and her younger sister Carmen. Flora lives in a rather modest but cheerful geriatric institution with plenty of light and helpful staff. She is impeccably groomed and dresses stylishly. She is smart and (except for some eccentricities becoming more and more obvious) well within lucid territory. She is even trying to learn the mysteries of the Internet guided by the staff.

Flora is estranged from Carmen, who has inherited the family home and put it to profitable, if somewhat dishonorably use. We are in a small town where everybody knows what everybody does and Carmen gets oblique looks and biting remarks from the townspeople. We learn early of the real reason for Flora's estrangement from Carmen. Flora has also lost contact with her daughter Marcela and her children. As the movie begins Flora is trying to reconnect with Marcela, not difficult in a small town.

Directors Fabio Junco and Julio Midú put on screen the script (by Midú) in a way close to perfection. This is one of these privileged movies where every scene falls into place easily; nothing can be cut, nothing needs to be added. Sentimentality is avoided but some scenes are deeply moving by themselves or their implications. To top it all, cinematography is excellent and music is used tastefully only when it fits into the tale.

Pobres Mujeres (Poor Women) was filmed within the project Cine con Vecinos (Cinema with Neighbors) initiated by the directors in Saladillo, a small town 200km southwest of Buenos Aires. Within this project (now a foundation) movies are made on a communitarian basis, involving townspeople in all aspects of the filming and using local talents and locations. It had next to no budget and local nonprofessional actors (most list as their only acting curriculum other movies by Junco and Midú) They do an excellent job.