Candela

A beautiful, mysterious, and somewhat unsettling story about the seemingly glamorous nightclub artist Candela. A brilliant example of what is happening in the Dominican cinema at the moment.

A high level of professional competence blends with an unusual approach to storytelling in Candela. Inspiration is drawn from Dominican culture, politics, and economic challenges, creating a genre play that is both familiar and foreign at the same time. Even though Candela is a debut film, Farias demonstrates why he is one of the most utilized assistant directors in Dominican cinema at the moment.

At the heart of the film is the glamorous Candela, a nightclub artist presented as the Caribbean star, directly from Havana, but actually living a meager life in the capital, Santo Domingo. Around her, people from all walks of life are involved, each in their own way playing crucial roles in Candela's life and, consequently, in the film's narrative. Part police film, part crime, part drama, part relationship film, Candela illustrates that regardless of where one stands in society, economic inequalities permeate all actions and consequences.

Cinemateket in Oslo

Director

Andrés Farías er en filmskaper og kunstner fra Den dominikanske republikk. Han har jobbet som regiassistent på flere filmer i hjemlandet. Candela (2021) er hans første spillefilm som regissør.