All about ‘Ema’, the new movie from Pablo Larraín

In these days of quarantine, the film and television releases that are available via streaming have become more relevant and the audience is now more aware of all the new productions coming out of their favorite directors and producers. Although it is from last year, Ema, the most recent film by the Chilean Pablo Larraín (director of Neruda and NO), has become especially relevant in these times of pandemic since it is available on MUBI, a platform that works by subscription and offers a more specialized and better curated catalog than many other platforms of this style. 

What is Ema about?

Ema and Gastón live in Valparíso. Both are close to the world of dance . They must rebuild and rethink their relationship after they have to put up for adoption a son they had previously adopted and who, after an accident, they decided not to raise. After this painful adoption process that, unlike many adoption portrayals in cinema, we ge to know through the eyes of the parents who have given back their child, Ema will have to rethink her life and her world. It is a story, then, of self-discovery after an emotional trauma in which there will be reflections and questions about being a woman, being a mother, being a family, and being in the world, while we see Ema think about herself and her relationship with Gastón through dance.

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More about Ema

Ema's script was written by its director, Pablo Larraín, who in 2016 was awarded for his productions Jackie and Neruda. This is his first feature film since that time of many awards. Ema was premiered at the Venice International Film Festival last year, where it was selected among the candidates for the Golden Lion , the highest honor of this festival. It was also released in North America at the TIFF, Toronto International Film Festival.

Ema stars Mariana di Girolamo and Gael García in the roles of Ema and Gastón respectively. According to different media and film critics, di Girolamo makes an excellent interpretation of the disturbed Ema and García does what we already know about him: a performance with what his character requires, in this case parsimony and despair.

Music and dance are very important in this story, so the soundtrack was composed by the Chilean-American artist Nicolas Jaar, recognized for his electronic and party music with which he mixes some tropical, natural and indigenous sounds.

Ema, then, is an updated story that wonders about the place of its protagonist in the world through the new precepts of reggaeton and party music and how these can be part of a personal and collective revolution. It is also finely filmed and excellently performed. Definitely, a premiere to see by yourself at home.