Clara Sola

Nathalie Álvarez Mesén

Talents Sweden, Costa Rica, Belgium, Germany 106 min Catalan premiere Fiction

Synopsis

Clara, 40, is believed to have a special connection to God. As a “healer”, she sustains a family and a village in need of hope, while she finds solace in her relationship with the natural world. After years of being controlled by her mother’s repressive care, Clara’s sexual desires are stirred by her attraction to her niece’s new boyfriend. This newly awakened force takes Clara to unexplored territory, allowing her to cross boundaries, both physical and mystical. Empowered by her self-discovery, Clara gradually frees herself from her role as “saint” and begins to heal herself.

Themes

Latin American CinemaFemale DirectorFeminismFirst FeatureReligionSci-fi & FantasySex

Filmmaker

Nathalie Álvarez Mesén

She is a Costa Rican-Swedish screenwriter/director. She started her career in physical theater in Costa Rica before pursuing her B.F.A. degree in Mime Acting at the Stockholm University of the Arts in Sweden. Nathalie later graduated from Columbia University’s Graduate Film Program in NYC with an M.F.A. in Film Directing/Screenwriting. An alumna of the Berlinale Talents, TIFF Filmmaker Lab and NYFF Artist Academy, Nathalie’s shorts have screened at film festivals all over the world. She co-wrote Entre tú y Milagros, winner of the Orizzonti Award for Best Short in the Venice Film Festival 2020.

Filmography: Clara Sola (2021, D'A 2022), Molt (short, 2018), Shelter (short, 2018), Letting Go (short, 2016), Asunder (short, 2015), Filip (short, 2015), Not Blue (short, 2011)

Nathalie Álvarez Mesén

Film information

Director: Nathalie Álvarez Mesén
Script: Nathalie Álvarez Mesén, Maria Camila Arias
Contact: Atera Films
With: Wendy Chinchilla Araya, Daniel Castaneda Rincón, Ana Julia Porras Espinoza, Flor María Vargas Chaves
Country: Sweden, Costa Rica, Belgium, Germany
Year: 2021
Format: DCP
Length: 106 min
Language: Spanish
Edition: 2022

Awards

REIKJAVIC FILM FESTIVAL
Special Mention of New Visions competition

SAO PAULO FILM FESTIVAL
Best Actress
Best Film of the New Directions competition

TORINO FILM FESTIVAL
Dams Awards for the Best Casting Direction

GULDBAGGE FILM AWARDS
Best Film
Best Direction
Best Screenplay
Best Cinematography
Best Sound

Poster

Clara Sola