A Sort of Family

This visually elegant and engaging drama tells the story of Malena, a doctor living in Buenos Aires, who, in her desperation to have a child, pays for a surrogate mother to bear out the pregnancy. Having received the news of the imminent birth, Malena travels to the remote, rural area of Argentina, where the young mother lives, and is in the care of a clinique that specialises in this illegal trade. But her joy at the child’s birth is quickly overshadowed by a blackmail attempt on the part of the biological mother’s family, who try to extract money out of the wealthy urban doctor. Malena is firmly determined to adopt the child, and with help from her estranged husband, relies on increasingly desperate means to take the baby home with her.

Director Diego Lerman builds a well paced, rich and nuanced thriller around an ethically problematic situation. A Sort of Family draws us in from the very first shots through an alert and dynamic use of camera, highlighting Barbara Lennie’s intense and emotionally charged performance. Malenas vulnerability and increasing desperation is skillfully portrayed through a series of close-ups and long takes. Tension rides high, as the narrative keeps several possible outcomes open, and characters are confronted with ethical and moral dilemmas. What is the importance of biological affiliation? In A Sort of Family returns to the theme of motherhood, which Diego Lerman successfully explored in the critically acclaimed Refugees. An empathetic moral thriller, which intelligently addresses complex subject matter in visually and emotionally engaging manner. Chloé Faulkner

Diego Lerman (b. 1976) from Buenos Aires is one of the leading figures in contemporary Argentinian cinema. He also works as a film and TV producer. Lerman has written (with regular co-writer Maria Meira) and directed five award-winning feature films.