This week, South by Southwest begins in Austin, Texas, introducing a plethora of new and amazing movies, TV shows, and music. Among this slate of new media is the Mexican film, Corina, by Urzula Barba Hopfner, which had its North American premiere on March 8th. The film is an understated comedy with a charismatic lead, great cinematography, and the color palette of an early Pedro Almodóvar project.
Corina follows the titular character, played by Naian González Norvind. A young, perpetually anxious woman working as a style corrector at a publishing house. For Corina, every day is the same as the last, she goes to the same café, takes the same number of steps to work and never veers outside of her comfort zone. One day, she makes a grave error at work and is forced to go on an adventure far beyond the barriers of her home town in order to save her job as well as those of her colleagues. The film also features Ted Lasso star, Christo Fernández as love interest, Carlos.
Upon first watch, Corina bears a striking resemblance to Jean-Pierre Jeunet's Amélie, one of the most successful French films of all time. Albeit, Corina is much more rooted in reality, but the two titular characters have their own unique, quirky charm that makes the audience root for them. Through her performance, Norvind gracefully walks a tightrope between hopeful and hermit. Her anxiety is something that millions can relate to, the fear of change, reluctance to embrace the new, and the daunting nature of chasing your own ambitions. She also has extraordinary on-screen chemistry with her co-star, Christo Fernández
Again, like Amélie, the film is incredibly well-shot. Cinematographer, Gerardo Guerra's work truly brings this film to life. Additionally, the production design by Lou Perezsandi makes Corina is a feast for the eyes. In terms of script and plot, Corina is a quiet, understated film, but the real spice lies in the vibrant color palette, reminiscent of director, Pedro Almodóvar. It is a subtle yet visually striking piece of work that doesn't need action sequences or loud dialogue to get its message across.
This year, Corina is one of three Mexican films being screened at South by Southwest, the most of any Latin-American country. The other two being documentary, Looking for a Donkey by Juan Vicente Manrique and music video, 'Sonidos del Bosque' by Alejandro Espinosa. Corina is the only feature film this year from Mexico.
While three may not seem like a lot compared to the 184 American entries, Corina is a much-needed example of Mexican representation. It's no secret that for the past couple of months in the United States, Mexico has not been viewed favorably. Films like Corina serve as a reminder of just how much incredible art comes from Latin-American creatives. It serves as director, Urzula Barba Hopfner's feature debut, and it's safe to say I'll be eagerly waiting to see what she does next.
Not only is Corina important and timely Mexican representation, it's also a story that everyone can relate to on some level. Even for the most extraverted of us, there comes a time in everyone's life when they have to take a risk for their own good, and that can be terrifying. But if someone as asocial and withdrawn as Corina can change her life for the better, who are we to not take that chance?
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