Carmen & Lola, written and directed by Arantxa Echevarria - 8.2 out of 10

Carmen & Lola, written and directed by Arantxa Echevarria

8.2 out of 10

Seeing as this film has been nominated at The 2018 Cannes film Festival, we can be sure it is noteworthy.

Albeit the nomination was not for the most prestigious, relevant cinematic prize in the world – as a personal opinion – but for the Golden Camera and the Queer Palm Prize, for the film maker Arantxa Echevarria.

As it is clear by now, the story deals with a same sex love affair that takes place within another minority group.

The film is thus even more interesting, for it is not just about a minority, as so many films deal with that already, but we have a look at a minority group within another minority community.

This feature looks at a variety of aspects in the life of the Roma or “Gitano”, the gypsy community in which the protagonists live, with the arranged marriages, the macho, sexist attitude of men and the emancipation, liberation that may be taking place in the present, or near future.

These groups seem to maintain a number of traditions, which is more than laudable when we are talking about songs, culture, music, a joie de vivre, vitality, entrepreneurial spirit, commercial sense.

Alas, there is the other side of keeping in line with the past, and that refers to often arranged marriages, the idea that the woman has to obey the man and the wife has the role of staying home, taking care of the children and it is the husband who plays the absolute ruler.

One of the main themes is just about that, with Carmen fighting against this medieval attitude that she has to confront when her would be husband talks about her staying at home with his children.

Lola has her own fight with her parents, especially her father – the mother warns, when she finds letters proving her homosexuality that her father would kill them both, lamenting repeatedly over their upcoming tragic fate.

Lola is a only sixteen when she finds that she is different, she is not interested in boys or men – part of the reason, apart from what is clearly a born with sexual orientation, would be the primitive attitude they have.

She walks into an internet café, where she can get online and access the lesbian chat room, or something like that, and she talks with another girl, who asks about her looks and a meeting.

Lola wants to write muy Hermosa aka very beautiful, but then she is modest and she just says she is all right, but when the question of having a rendez vous with the stranger is raised, she just walks out of the café.

Meanwhile, Carmen is interested – or she thinks she is – in a cousin of Lola and they go through the traditional, required process, where the father of the young man comes to the family of the girl.

They all pretend that their respective child is amazing, he is clean, nice, no trouble ever, while she does not smoke – she does – and she is the apple of the eye and they agree for them to go out.

Suitor and girl enjoy themselves for some time, they dance and have a good time – although it does look like the frivolous dances can lead to something else, erotic and intimate as they are.

However, once they talk about the future, the fracture is clear and the views of the man do not come anywhere near those of the girl who is modern, spirited, self-assured and not interested in a life of modern slavery.

There is the element of religion that has a crucial role, for the community attends some services with a contemporary hue, a priest of some denomination that is not clear has influence over the Roma.

When the father finds about his daughter’s contemptible, disgraceful, horrible, inacceptable, shameful for the whole family in his eyes lesbianism, he drags her to see the unofficial priest.

It is a long scene that highlights the melodrama, the penchant for dramatic, intense lamentation, shouts, imprecations, vivid exchanges that characterize communities with a vivre a fond mentality.

We have lived in neighborhoods where we can see this thing going on, with festivities alternating big fights, both seemingly intensely felt, with an engagement in the dramatics of the events that can be both enviable and to be regretted, sometimes all at the same time, for enthusiasm and tragedy are so loud and close.

Carmen and Lola become close friends, with Carmen reluctant to accept intimacy, indeed, she even threatens her companion that she would smash her face, when it looks like she wants to kiss her.

This part seemed to this viewer somewhat less credible, the approach was awkward and there is a feeling that it does not come naturally, something seems to be missing, but it is probably just a subjective, wrong take.

The character of Lola appears to be better created – the actress has a better performance – while Carmen appears to change abruptly from the woman who was so enthused with the cousin, only to drop to the other side, overnight.

It could well happen, surely, it is just that this viewer looked at the bliss surrounding the two lesbian lovers and thought…what if Carmen changes again suddenly and we are back where we started?