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Tótem Throws a Goodbye Party You’ll Never Want to Leave
Director Lila Avilés’ extraordinary family drama is in the vein of party films like Monsoon Wedding and Rachel Getting Married.
Tótem, her follow-up (and Mexico’s Oscar submission), is also set in a single location, but is stylistically very different — a warm, tumultuous ensemble picture that leaves Sol for long stretches to check in on the many people in her orbit. Aunt Alejandra (Marisol Gasé), who’s introduced doing a hasty touchup dye job she’s forced to rinse off in the kitchen sink (the bathroom being occupied) has been pushing for the party, though they can barely afford it, having funneled all their money into Tona’s treatment. Her sister Nuri (Montserrat Marañon) doesn’t want to accept Tona’s decision to choose palliative care over chemotherapy, and stews in alcohol and resentment while baking a cake and getting ready with her daughter Esther (an adorable Saori Gurza, toting a scene-stealing kitten).
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