(A scene from “Rosa's Wedding” ©Natxo Martínez)
Writer/Director: Iciar Bollain
Spain – 2020 – 98 Minutes
Rosa's Wedding will feature on the virtual programme of the European Film Festival which runs from October 14 to 24, 2021.
Highly
recommended for a good laugh with a side helping of introspection. (Review by
Barry Meehan)
Writer/director Iciar Bollain, one of 14 female directors out of the 18 films at this year’s European Film Festival, has done a superb job on Rosa’s Wedding, winner of many awards on the European Festival circuit. It is a wonderful romantic comedy that deals with so many of the issues facing women of today without becoming in the least bit mawkish or sentimental. It is sure to strike a chord with many family members, no matter what their place is in the family hierarchy.
Rosa is brilliantly portrayed by Candela Pena, who delivers a tight performance, never overstating a word or sentence, although she is on-screen for the better part of the movie. She plays a woman who is about to turn 45, a seamstress working in the costume department of a film company in Valencia. She is essential to the smooth running of the company, but is not truly appreciated by her bosses, who treat her like they own her, day and night.
On top of this, she is taken for granted by every member of her family, who all make demands on her time – her daughter Lidia, who lives with a musician and needs her mother’s support; her brother Armando, who is going through a separation while his business is failing; her sister Violeta, whose over-imbibing is causing problems as a conference interpreter, and above all, her father, two years widowed, who suddenly decides that he is going to move in with Rosa. On top of all this, she is forever expected to do favours for friends and acquaintances.
It all becomes too much, and Rosa decides to start a new life in the picturesque village of Benicassim, her childhood home, where her mother used to operate a now-defunct dressmaking outlet. She pushes the “nuclear button” and disappears, causing the family to implode.
And so to the title of the film – Rosa’s Wedding. She announces to the family that she is going to get married, but won’t say to whom, causing great consternation to all its members, not to mention her boyfriend Rafa. I won’t ruin your viewing pleasure by revealing Rosa’s very different plans for her wedding – let’s just say that they certainly aren’t aligned with the wishes and conclusions of her family and friends.
The plot has many twists and turns, with the family descending on Benicassim, all determined to do their own thing by way of organising the wedding, without any thought for Rosa’s wishes. Much as they believe they are doing the right thing by her, Rosa has a pre-determined plan in place, and refuses to change anything, keeping her secret until the last possible moment, when it has to come out to avoid total disaster.
Rosa’s Wedding is a very entertaining movie, which will hopefully cause many viewers to have a serious look at themselves and their attitudes to family. Notice of the wedding vows should also be taken by viewers, as they are heartfelt and truly meaningful in this day and age.
Highly recommended for a good laugh with a side helping of introspection. – Barry Meehan
Rosa’s Wedding can be seen free of charge from October 14 to 24, 2021, on the European Film Festival’s website. For more information click on the advert to the right of this article or visit https://www.eurofilmfest.co.za/
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