AFTER LUCIA (DESPUÉS DE LUCIA) New Auteurs

Roberto and his daughter, Alejandra, travel to Mexico City to begin a new life after the death of his wife, Lucia. Unable to cope with their grief and the pace of the unfamiliar city, the two proceed with their new lives at work and school, communicating less and turning inward. When Alejandra becomes the center of repulsive taunting and bullying, she remains silent to protect her father from further pain. This sparks continuous cruel abuse and humiliation from her classmates. Roberto is pushed to his limit when Alejandra disappears and the truth of her mistreatment is revealed. Probing the causes of malice and violence, Michel France’s second feature brilliantly juxtaposes a steady reflexive camera with his protagonist’s passiveness to brutal torture. Winner of the Un Certain Regard Category at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival, this exquisitely original story details the pain and distress that ultimately leads a heartbroken father to the edge.