I enjoyed this experience of watching a film in a foreign language and trying to figure out what was going on. I was very surprised when I realized that I understood pretty much everything, minus few conversational details. It was an amazing revelation to me that it really does not matter which language you speak, feelings and human behavior are the same everywhere you go.
The main character Carol was a very strong and observant teenage girl. I speak from my own experience when I say that adjusting to a new culture and a new country is a difficult task for anyone. But to do this in your teenage years I believe is especially difficult. Carol was not received in the new society as a welcome member due to her connection to America. At the time of her arrival to Spain, the country was transforming through socialism and Carol coming from America was not welcome. She was very quiet and observant of the changes and moods around her. There was a lot going on in her head, but not much expressed, just observed. I believe that this demeanor helped her to integrate herself into the Spanish society. She made some friends and the childish ways of them growing up together was another way of her integrating. Also the unconditional love from her grandpa was a strong wall she knew she could lean on any time. We see that in the episode when her farther sneaks into the country to see Carol.
Another great film!

I loved this film! What a wonderful tribute to women and their power through love and strength!
The opening scene is amazing. The cemetery is filled with the women cleaning the head stones of mostly dead family men, because as the women explained, they outlive the men. This scene has a double meaning. First meaning is that sure, women outlive their men, that is just a fact. The other meaning is deeper: no matter what men do to women, they have the strength and power to survive and outlive the tragic life events. At the end if the women stick together their power is unstoppable. The rest of the film following the cemetery scene is a tribute to the message revealed at the beginning. All the women in this film are so close to each. You, as the viewer almost feel privileged to be invited to take a peek at their world and their stories. I do believe that the strong connection between these women comes as a part of Hispanic culture. The women lived through some tragic and chaotic events in their lives: father raping a daughter and getting her pregnant; tragic loss of parents; cancer; old age and inability to take care of yourself.
As night comes after a day, the same way superstition follows Hispanic culture. Good example of that was the East wind that would make people act crazy. I believe that the wind was used as an excuse of irrational and shocking things people do, but we as humans, do not want to always believe that we are capable of that. Another superstition used in this film was that dead people souls come back to earth to finish what was left unfinished or to correct the mistakes they made while living. In this case Raimunda’s mother was thought to come back from the dead. As it appeared she was never dead just hiding and letting everybody think that she was dead. She did have some things to correct in her life like not knowing or noticing that Raimunda was being molested by her own farther. She wanted Raimunda’s forgiveness. In the end, the women figured it all out and once again kept on being strong and together.

I really enjoyed this film. It was funny, relaxing and had some mystery in it (the little girl throughout the film kept reappearing for no logical reason just to realize that she is the death). I am not very familiar with the Cuban culture but this is what I picked up:
- Russian made cars. One I could remember was “Volga”. Having experienced Soviet Union regime, you have to understand that this car “Volga” was kind of an equivalent to “ Mercedes” in the United States. Keeping in mind the means of how people are traveling in Cuba, having this luxurious car was a big deal for the family in this film. They were definitely well to do people.
- I noticed the three choices of refreshments: tea, coffee or rum( I do not know why people even have to ask, the choice is obvious…J). But mostly I liked the fact that if you decline the offer the person offering then decides what you would want and you are having it anyway. It was almost a natural part of hosting. I like these people!
- I enjoyed the musical part of everyday life. There was one song/melody that lasted the entire film. The word came as the events were unfolding. It shows that people are in tune with their romantic side and I believe the equivalent of that music would be the country music style in the United States. Both kind of music sing about the everyday life in a casual manner.
- Last but not least were bananas. A lot of bananas. It seemed to be a very important part of the Cuban culture.

What a great and heart touching film! I did not have any words to describe my emotions right after watching the movie, I felt confused, full of conflicting feelings towards the characters. On the way home after the class I did not even turn on the radio in my car and do no remember how I even got home, I was in a daze. After I got over the initial shock of the domestic violence scene, I started to analyze the film. Still, that last scene when military “macho” husband kept slamming wife’s head into the wall was just horrific, I was having difficult time concentrating on remembering anything else in the movie. It’s amazing how a film can evoke so many strong emotions! Bravo to the director of this film, and yes, I applaud the Oscar.
Despite many emotions that one would have after this film, two main ones emerge: hope and hopelessness. Hope for a better and more righteous future and hopelessness for the same righteous future. Gabby would eventually find out the true past of her parents, would be able to live with her real grandmother. But at the same time, the present family is being destroyed; the same family that she already fell in love with, not knowing anything better or anything more real. It is horrifying to even think that there were many families just like Gabby’s, the ones that were torn apart and divided to the military power holding families. I wonder whether a child like Gabby in this film would have a happy future? It seems that she would be full of so many mixed emotions and at the same time not be old enough to even understand it all. Gabby had the tragic memory carved in her and it came out on the day of her birthday, when her cousins came in her room with toy guns playing invasion. Except in her mind that was an echo of her past.
Can I ask for a fun film next time? Another burning shower scene will do:)