SYNOPSIS

CLARA, 40, is believed to have a special connection to God. As a "healer", she sustains a family and a village in need of hope, while she finds solace in her relationship with the natural world.  After years of being controlled by her mother’s repressive care, Clara’s sexual desires are stirred by her attraction to her niece’s new boyfriend. This newly awakened force takes Clara to unexplored territory, allowing her to cross boundaries, both physical and mystical. Empowered by her self-discovery, Clara gradually frees herself from her role as “saint” and begins to heal herself.

Original title: Clara Sola English Title: Clara Sola Country: Sweden, Costa Rica, Belgium Language: Spanish Production year: 2021 Length: 106 minutes

CAST

Wendy Chinchilla Araya, Daniel Castañeda Rincón, Ana Julia Porras Espinoza, Flor María Vargas Chaves

CREW

Director: Nathalie Álvarez Mesén Screenwriter: Nathalie Álvarez Mesén, Maria Camila Arias DOP: Sophie Winqvist Loggins DFF FSF  Music: Ruben De Gheselle Editor: Marie-Hélène Dozo Sound: Erick Vargas Williams, Valène Leroy, Charles De Ville, Aline Gavroy Conceptual Artist & Production designer: Agustin Moreaux Production designer & Art Director:Amparo Baeza Costume Designer:Patricia Alvarado Hurtado Make up & Hair Designer: Goga Riveros Produced by: Nima Yousefi Producers: Alan McConnell, Géraldine Sprimont, Anne-Laure Guégan, Karina Avellan Troz, Marcelo Quesada Mena Executive producer: Peter Krupenin Co Producers: Lisa Widén, Beata Mannheimer, Ivanna Kozak, Antoine Liétout, Ivan Zuber Production: Hobab Co production: Need Productions, Resolve Media, Pacífica Grey, Film Capital Stockholm Fund, Laïdak Films, Shelter Prod, Proximus, VOO-Be tv Produced with financial support of: Centre du Cinéma et de l’Audiovisuel de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, Taxshelter.be et ING, le Tax shelter du gouvernement fédéral de Belgique, la Région de Bruxelles Capitale, A Swedish - Belgium co-production In accordance with the 1992 European convention on cinematographic co-production, Hubert Bals Fund+Europe programme of International Film Festival Rotterdam, Berlinale World Cinema Fund, Brot für die Welt, Fondo para el Fomento Audiovisual y Cinematográfico El Fauno, del Centro Costarricense de Producción Cinematográfica del Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud Produced in collaboration with: Swedish Television Channel World sales: Luxbox

Latin American Film Festival - Official Selection

International Women’s Film Festival of Dortmund - International Debut Feature Film

Ternium Latin American Film Festival - Official Selection

FemFilm Oslo

Philosophical Film Festival (Skopje)

Mediterranean Film Festival Split

Taipei Film Festival

FESTIVALS

Cannes International Film Festival - Directors’ Fortnight

Festival de cine de Lima - Competition - Best Film, Best Actress, Best photography

BFI London Film Festival

Haugesund International Film Festival - Nordic Focus Section

Pelicula - Competition - Best Film

Haifa International Film Festival

Reykjavik International Film Festival - New Visions Competition

Guadalajara International Film Festival - Ibero Americana Competition

Film Fest Gent - Competition

El Gouna Film Festival - Feature Narrative Competition

Cinemaissi - Latin American Film Festival Helsinki - Opening Film / New Voices

Gangneung International Film Festival - International Narrative Feature

Seminci Valladolid IFF - Official Competition

Cine Por Mujeres - International Competition

Mostra de Sao Paolo - New Directors Competition - Best Fiction Film Award, Best Actress, BRA.DA Award

Thessaloniki International Film Festival - International Competition - Special Jury Award

Days of European Film - Winner Best Debut Film

Music & Cinema International film Festival - Winner Best Original Score

Palm Springs International Film Festival

Festival de Cine Global

Goteborg Film Festival - Visionaries

Pune International Film Festival - World Competition & Best International Film

Kosmora

Festival Internacional de Cine de Cartagena de Indias

Kerala International Film Festival - International Competition

Cine Latino - Official Selection

Nathalie Álvarez MeséN

Director/Screenwriter

Nathalie Álvarez Mesén is a Costa Rican-Swedish screenwriter/director. She started her career in physical theater in Costa Rica before pursuing her B.F.A. degree in Mime Acting at the Stockholm University of the Arts in Sweden. Nathalie later graduated from Columbia University's Graduate Film Program in NYC with an M.F.A. in Film Directing/Screenwriting. An alumna of the Berlinale Talents, TIFF Filmmaker Lab and NYFF Artist Academy,Nathalie’s shorts have screened at film festivals all over the world. Her short, FILIP,won Best Film Under 15 Minutes at the 2016 Palm Springs Shortfest, and ASUNDER,screened at the 2016 Telluride Film Festival.She also co-wrote “Entre Tú y Milagros”, winner of the Orizzonti Award for Best Shortin the Venice Film Festival 2020. Currently, Nathalie is developing her second feature,“The Wolf Will Tear Your Immaculate Hands”, in the Torino ScriptLab 2021.

"Álvarez Mesén... steps into feature filmmaking with assurance. In its intimate universe of the churchly and the pagan, Clara Sola conjures a memorably earthbound abracadabra"

First-time feature helmer Mesén leaves this and more open to debate in an atmospheric film that blends magical realism with psycho-sexual drama

"Wendy Chinchilla Araya is a standout in this intense Costa Rican feature playing in Directors Fortnight. A defiant challenge to prejudice and repression."