Brecha

The film moves at an excellent pace, keeping the viewer interested throughout. It is an emotional film and it is not clear where the film is going until the end. It is a well thought through story with fantastic performances, especially from the son. The story coheres together exceptionally well although if I was to criticise at all it may be that the reaction from others to father's behaviour is not quite as realistic as I would envisage. The grandmother also adds a very believable character to the story. I would recommend this to any adult to watch, and I hope they enjoy it. There is no hint here of any production constraints which is incredible when you learn that this film was made from nothing but people's generosity. A true gem in amongst so many films.

I had the privilege of seeing this excellent film with a friend of the Director who had been sent a copy. I knew nothing of the plot or the Director and his style and was totally absorbed from start to finish. I don't profess to be a well viewed film critic but, in my humble opinion, this film is cleverly conceived and executed. The acting and direction is raw and the storyline develops with snippets of comedy to lighten the way whilst tackling a difficult subject. The Director brilliantly plays on the viewers assumptions and has somehow created a piece of genius on (I believe) a negative budget. He highlights the damage that can be done through lack of communication profoundly. Why the 9 and not 10? Purely due to a handful of spelling mistakes in the English subtitles - if I were fluent in Spanish I'm sure it would be a 10. I would highly recommend watching this very thought provoking and moving film.

This film follows a father and son due.

The father has just been released from prison. His son (who is 12) who has been living with his grandmother, moves back in with his dad.

The film follows the two as they try to develop a relationship. The son wants his father's approval but doesn't know how to get it. The father is too busy dealing with his own issues to give his son the attention that he needs.

Over the course of the film we see their relationship develop. They have their struggles and confrontations but ultimately, the message is that communication is important. It is only once the two really talk to each other on a meaningful level that their relationship makes progress.

The acting in this film is genuinely great. Points to the kid, who is incredibly believable. Certain elements of the flashbacks are a bit tropey for this kind of genre. But it is different enough to not cause full on eye-rolling.

The film held my interest throughout and as I said... the child actor did a wonderful job.

This movie is a hidden gem. I just watched it last night and still under its impression. The movie kept my strong attention from the first minute. The little boy's quiet suffering and loneliness brought tears into my eyes. His father got out of jail, but we still don't know why he was in jail. We wonder what is going on. Why the father reject the boy so much. Why won't he allow him to help him to cook. The story unfolds slowly shifting from present to glimpses of past. The acting was superb. All three main characters-the boy,his father and grandma put out solid performances. They boy's character is the most complex and the child-actor did not fail. It is almost at the end of this movie we are given an explanation of this family tragedy. Freakish turn of events that could not possibly be foreseen by anyone. They are all victims. But no one is at fault. It is like fate had payed a cruel joke on this family.

The tale is told backwards. We know at the beginning that Andrés has been four years in jail for an accident he caused driving under the influence. He is being released. During these years his now twelve year old son José Ramón has been in the care of Andrés' mother. As we expect, Andrés tries to reconnect with José Ramón and normalize their relationship. José Ramón seems to be willing. But we sense something amiss not only in the father-son relationship but in José Ramón's interaction with his grandmother and other townspeople (the filming was done in Lebrija, a medium size town in the province of Sevilla). The details of the tale are discovered backwards, peeling layer after layer through a masterful use flashbacks until we reach the core of the enigma. Brecha means gap and it probably refers to the emotional distance between father and son.

This is the first of two movies Lebanon born Argentine director Iván Noel made with Spanish actor/writer Francisco Alfonsín. He was the lead actor, also in charge of the script together with the director.

Brecha is a very somber tale. The second Noel/Alfonsín collaboration was ¡Primaria!, an entirely different type of film, a joyful paean to the teaching of art in primary schools. In both Noel shows excellence in all aspects, That includes directing the acting of nonprofessionals (except for Alfonsín all actors in this movie are residents of Lebrija, this movie their only acting credit). Music and cinematography, also by Noel fit the tale perfectly. This movie's budget was essentially zero; all actors worked for free and funds for equipment were collected from donations. Both Brecha and ¡Primaria! Are masterpieces, not to miss.