Using her own life as inspiration, Anabel Caso with great sensitivity portrayed the world through the eyes of inexperienced and emotionally immature girls. Despite the fact that the film comes from a seemingly distant cultural background, I believe that Polish viewers will find many parallels to their own experiences and our reality, writes Alicja Magdziak from the LFF Media Group about ,,Wheatfield”.
,,Wheatfield” directed by Anabel Caso, had its world premiere two years ago. Polish viewers however, only had the chance to see this intimate and masterfully crafted film on Monday during the 18th edition of Lublin Film Festival. As one of eight titles competing in the Focus: Storytelling competition.
The work of the Argentine director tells the story of two maturing girls, and the title itself can be interpreted as a period of adolescence. The film is set during a sweltering Mexican summer, when the titular wheat ripens and is finally mowed down. Similarly, the main characters—Sofía and Cristina, two teenage girls with opposing personalities who explore intimacy, embrace their femininity, and strive to understand the meaning of love. Using her own life as inspiration, Anabel Caso with great sensitivity portrayed the world through the eyes of inexperienced and emotionally immature girls.
The film explores a number of modern-day challenges, such as the sexualization of girls (Sofia and Cristina are thirteen and fourteen years old each), being raised in a conservative, patriarchal society, sex education and the treatment of people with disabilities.
Despite the fact that the film comes from a seemingly distant cultural background, I believe that Polish viewers will find many parallels to their own experiences and our reality. An absent father, a mother who avoids serious conversations – this is a family situation that probably most people from the boomer or millennial generation (or even from the so-called Gen Z) have experienced.
,,Wheatfield” stirred strong emotions and controversy, which was reflected in the heated discussion among viewers after the screening:
– This film shows a terrifying lack of any meaningful relationships. […] The generation of mothers and daughters is trapped in a symbolic cage.
– Why do they dress like sluts? I’ll stand up for the men in this film. These were provocations. […] I think the girls were the ones provoking.
– I see these girls as typical victims. You can tell they are smart but inexperienced. The final scenes make everyone feel very uncomfortable, because it’s clear they are not fully mature. If someone else had been in the place of these men, these situations wouldn’t have happened at all. At thirteen, you can’t truly give consent to such an act. Even if the girls think they can, they were not aware of what they were asking for.
– These girls only made me feel embarrassed. They were immature. I don’t see any fault on their part here. Grown men should use their own brains and not hook up with teenage girls. Red lipstick and a deep neckline are not definitions of femininity and maturity. Consider the behavior – they were silent, looking down, avoiding eye contact. That’s not how a mature woman behaves.
This is what the Lublin audience said after Monday’s screening.
I believe that „Wheatfield” is a film that everyone should watch – both women and men.
Anabel Caso retold the story of Lolita, but adopted a feminist narrative. The young actresses gave fantastic performances.
,,Wheatfield” does not sexualize, but instead, it wisely highlights a real problem of our cultures – both European and Latin American.
Alicja Magdziak