THE YEAR OF THE NAIL (AÑO UÑA) World Cinema: Latin Showcase

THE YEAR OF THE NAIL is a thoughtful, evocative portrayal of friendship, love, longing and the sometimes static nature of life. Director/Screenwriter Jonas Cuaron (Alfonso Curaron’s son) tells this story through photographs and voiceover.

Using a year’s worth of photos that he took of spontaneous events and day-to-day activities, Cuaron creates an understated but powerfully observed fictional story. Fourteen-year-old Diego (Diego Catano, his half brother) and visiting American college girl Molly (Eireann Harper, his girlfriend) spend a year together in Mexico. Instantly in love, Diego says, “She has a gringo ass, and and she talks like a Mexican!” Unfortunately, it’s hard for them to get close because his grandfather is sick, his cat must be spayed and neutered and Molly must return to New York. THE YEAR OF THE NAIL — derives from an ingrown nail that bothers Diego — is mostly about life’s fleeting moments.

Imbued with Cuaron’s energy, a cleverly fractured story structure, rich soundtrack and beautiful photographs, this is one of this year’s most inventive films.