Review: Nora’s Will
Nora’s Will tells the bittersweet story of Nora (Silvia Mariscal), a woman in her sixties who throughout her life has continually attempted to commit suicide. When Nora succeeds it is her ex husband Jose (Fernando Luján) who makes the discovery. What follows is a slow moving drama with occasional but solid moments of comedy about the days after Nora’s death, her family’s reactions and the ordeal they face in burying her.
Whilst the film is driven by Nora’s death, we initially don’t know that much about her. With her death occurring within the first few minutes we do not even see her face until Jose finds her body. It is through Nora’s meticulous planning, some would call it scheming, that we learn more about her. She has planned her death to coincide with Passover, both bringing her family together and creating difficulties concerning the funeral; if Nora is not buried on the same day she died they will have to wait until after Passover, a whole five days, to perform the ceremony. This proves the catalyst for the majority of the film’s tension and comedy, as Jose struggles with the rigidness of the religion and the uncompromising Rabbi, exhibited brilliantly when he orders a pork laden pizza and attempts to thrust it in the face of every Orthodox person who enters his ex wife’s apartment.
The spanner is really thrown into the works when Jose finds a lone photograph under Nora’s bed, the single hitch in her elaborate plan. In the photo a younger Nora appears with a man who is not Jose. Enter the mystery, who is this man and did Nora cheat on her husband of thirty years?
Most of the film takes place in Nora’s apartment, the host of eccentric characters providing the colour in an otherwise drab setting. The film uses flashbacks to highlight Nora and Jose’s relationship and they are generally used well if at times slightly distracting. Overall this is a subtle family drama with some heartfelt moments but the dashes of dry humour elevate the film to a touching and honest portrayal of a family’s reaction to a sudden death.
Nora’s Will is the feature film debut of writer/director Marianna Chenillo and is showing under the ‘All by Women’ category at the festival.
By Jess Lomas
Nora’s Will / Cinco días sin Nora is screening:
Melbourne: Saturday 22nd May – 9.00pm (Palace Cinema Como)
Brisbane: Friday 21st May – 7.00pm (Palace Cinema Centro)
[Youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lYvJTERJik]
Pingback: Tweets that mention Review: Nora’s Will « Spanish Film Festival -- Topsy.com