Um Caminho de Luz

CAMINO is one of the most intense, beautiful, and inspiring films I have ever seen. It's incredible how a history filled with such grey, such sad characters, can come to be so categorically positive, so affirming. It's amazing that a film that takes on death in such an upfront way and so bravely can be such a passionate homage to life. The best part about the film is that it criticizes nothing, it only conveys reality, and in a surprisingly objective way. I, who consider myself very religious, find this film, in addition to being profoundly human, full of love and tenderness, a film that is also brimming with God. Of course, a God that is totally different from the one Opus Dei twists around its little finger for its exclusive benefit.

Visual artifice without depth. And the worst of all: a complete bunch of lies, and promotes hatred. First of all, we must know that all fact depicted on this film are not based on real life of Alexia, even when the director suggests that.

The one and only merit of director, Javier Fesser, is to be brother of a known radio comedian in Spain. In the other side, we have an excellent teenage actress with a brilliant future, Nerea Camacho.

The movie does not deserve to exist if it causes so much pain to the girl's family, taking advantage of his death. Artistically it certainly, does not provide such a long value.

This is a very intense movie, with a wonderful cast, perfectly directed. I can understand that some people may object to the film, in which it is not telling the story the way they want to hear it or have come to believe it, but that is beyond the point of the film: it is simply telling a story, in a beautiful, tender and positive way. And we must not forget, it is BASED on a true story, but just that, based, inspired on it. What we are presented here is a version, a very beautiful one, of a similar story. I think unfortunately any movie about religion, specially when disagreeing with the faith shown in it, is meant to cause trouble within the people that want to worship in that way. That, fortunately, does not dictate the stories that can be told on a film, and this one is obviously a fantastic one. I myself am absolutely non religious, but I enjoyed the story for being so moving, and loved to see the Opus Dei side of it as I consider it interesting, as I would consider interesting a movie or documentary on a child believed to be the re-encarnation of the Buddha. But be sure, this is no Da Vinci Code here, it is not intended to make a caricature of Opus Dei, it is simply done from another point of view which adds to the interest of the movie: after all a movie about a girl saint done from the Opus Dei (or any other religion) point of view would be not only terribly propagandistic, but also much more boring.

A moving film, which is capable of provoking genuine feelings among the audience. The subject treated is, indeed, rather controvert: those who do not agree with Spain's extreme orthodox Catholic group Opus Dei will probably feel comforted by the film; those whose resilient Catholic convictions stay clear of questioning will most likely find it annoying, if not bluntly ridiculous and insulting. A certain dialog between the two poles is proposed by the film-maker, Javier Fesser, by means of which a possible virtuous in-between is envisaged. Such dialog, however, is far from being direct and: constant use is made of metaphors and imagination, resulting in a highly idiosyncratic discourse set in a universe where viewers may get lost. An excellent production with some very powerful scenes.

Inspired by real events, it is an emotional adventure that revolves around Camino (Nerea Camacho) , an 11-year-old girl marked by a deep Catholic education, faces two completely new events for her: falling in love and dying. The film begins at the time of his death and then go back five months before and tell the story from the beginning of her illness.

This better than average average charming story packs sensitive events, entertainment, emotion, good feeling and inspired by the life of Alexia Gonzalez Barros, to whom the film is dedicated, a 14-year-old girl who died and belonged to an Opus Day family. Javier Fesser will construct this tear-jerking drama with a touch of a fairy tale. With a brilliant cast, spectacular visual strength and an overwhelming script. With Camino, director Fesser intends to denounce religious fanaticism, dealing with the young daughter of sectarian religious fanatics faces a deadly illness soon after falling in love for the first time. That's why the film important media stir, and the rejection of some sectors of society. In fact, Alexia's own family disassociated themselves completely from the project and Fesser admitted to having rewritten the story to his own taste and opinion. Consequently, the director deceives the viewer by trying to make us believe that they are real events, when disproved by the family, they are actually a complete invention of the writer and director Fesser. Camino managed to become the great winner of the XXIII edition of the Goya Awards, winning six awards: best film, best director, original screenplay, best leading actor: Carmen Elias, best supporting actor: Jordi Dauder , and best new actress for the very young Nerea Camacho as an eleven-year-old believing girl, who faces two facts that are completely new to her: falling in love and dying. The performances of the entire principal and secondary cast are magnificent, including the following: Carme Elias, Mariano Venancio, Manuela Vellés, Lola Casamayor, Ana Gracia, Pepe Ocio, Jan Cornet as Angel Custodio, uncredited Fernando Guillén Cuervo as school priest and Jordi Dauder as an Opus Day priest.

It contains a brilliant and colorful cinematography by cameramanAlex Catalán, adding a fantastic special effects. Special mention for musical score from Rafael Arnau, including songs: Cigarrettes Written and Performed by Lourdes Hernández; Estoy Aquí Performed by Shakira; Escape To The Garden Music from the original motion picture La cenicienta (1950); Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo Written by Mack David, Al Hoffman and Jerry Livingston , Music from the original motion picture La cenicienta (1950); Happy Birthday Written by Patty S. Hill and Mildred J. Hill; and Sleeping Beauty Waltz Written by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky The motion picture was competently written and directed by Javier Fesser. He is a comedy and humor expert who has written and directed a few fims and shorts, such as : Mortadelo and Filemon contra Jimmy el cachondo or mission implausible, The big adventure of Mortadelo and Filemon, Candida, Camino, The miracle of P. Tinto, Campeones and Campeonex. And shorts as Invictus, Bienvenidos and 17 year together. Rating 6.5/10. Better than average. Well worth watching. A dramatic entertainment for the whole family.