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Cast: Dario Yazbek Bernal, Marimar Vega, Chema Torre, Monserrat Ontiveros, Luis Miguel Lombana, Jose Maria Torre
While shopping in Mexico City, brother and sister Daniel and Ana Torres are held up at gunpoint, dragged off by kidnappers and forced into positions they never imagined. But in the aftermath, both must deal with the trauma on their own terms.
I am not sure talking about this film here as far as plot goes is the best idea since it is the tragic event that takes place early on that sets the stage for the rest of the film. But I really can't review the film without telling the story so the film is about a brother and sister who seem to have a close relationship and as the film opens it is Ana who is busy planning out her wedding but one day when her and her brother are out driving they make a wrong turn which leads to events that will change their lives forever. The two are kidnapped and forced to have sex with one another while they are being taped. I had to scratch my head a bit since these men only kidnapped the two for that sole purpose and then turned around and let them go. It wasn't till I read deeper into it did I find out this happens a lot in Mexico. We all deal with some tragic event in our lives like losing a loved one but I cannot even begin to imagine what this must of done to both these siblings. After being released the two go into a shell, not communicating to each other or their family. Daniel is seen walking around in his own world, lost and confused, he even begins skipping school while Ana locks her self away in her room and starts to question her upcoming marriage as well. Ana begins to find a bit of help by going to a Psychologist who in turn tells her to talk with her brother about what had happened and in turn Ana is successful at getting her brother to attend as well. The film itself is slow-paced after the shock at the beginning but it has a realistic feel which is important to the story. There is another shocking scene later in the film that again changes everything including Ana's plans to abort her marriage, in fact she decides to not only go through with it but to move to Paris with her husband so he can except a job offer he had on the table there, a move she refused to do at the beginning. The one the siblings didn't do which seem to not only make things worse for themselves but it also began to tear the family apart as a whole was they never told their parents what had happened. Director, Michel Franco does a great job at keeping everything simple here which in turn translates back to the audience in a way that makes the events that more real to the viewer. Franco said he decided to do the film after talking to the Psychologist who treated the siblings and who was very affected by it all. I must mention the cast here, Dario Yazbek Bernal and Marimar Vega did a terrific job playing Daniel and Ana, I am sure these roles were very difficult to play and the two were excellent. As you can tell this is not an easy film to watch but it's an important story, one of many that must be told and hopefully it sheds some light on the problem that has been going on for far too long. I can't say I enjoyed the story since it is a disturbing one but it is also a thought-provoking one, I hope someone sees it that has some kind of influence in helping to put an end to what is going and on and in turn it stops ruining people's lives.
One thing I would of liked to have seen at the end of the film is how these two siblings are doing today, the film has a sudden ending and it never does say how the two are dealing with their past today but maybe no one really knows either. I hope both where able to come to terms with it all and some how move past it. If this sounds like your kind of film then I recommend picking it up, just prepare to be shocked,disturbed and angry at what you're going to see. "Daniel and Ana" is a brave film from a talented filmmaker and a film worth seeing. The DVD comes with The Original Theatrical Trailer plus other Strand Titles as well plus it is presented in it's Original Spanish Language with English Subtitles. You can order the DVD HERE.
Released by Strand Releasing
**** Out Of *****