“Reinas”

The familial ties that bind us both emotionally and physically are captured with a loving touch in director Klaudia Reynicke-Candeloro’s “Reinas,” an intimate story of the relationship between a mother, father, and their two girls. There’s a warmth and authenticity to the film, which succeeds as a small-scale drama by not tackling too much thematically.

Lima, Peru, early 1990s. It was a summer fueled by social chaos and political unrest, prompting Elena (Jimena Lindo) and her two daughters, Lucia (Abril Gjurinovic) and Aurora (Luana Vega) to seek a new world of opportunity in the United States. Before they leave their home country, the trio attempt to reconnect with their estranged father Carlos (Gonzalo Molina) as a final farewell.

The film’s simplicity works in its favor, and the story is straightforward yet effective. The casting is terrific and the performances are heartfelt, especially from Vega and Gjurinovic as two supportive sisters struggling as they wrestle with the fact that their father has become a stranger. They portray their characters with a sensitivity and authenticity that stings deeply.

“Reinas” is a film that’s both delicate and powerful, and the universal sentiment of yearning for a sense of identity, family, and belonging is one that quietly speaks volumes.

By: Louisa Moore