Movie No. 59 (2015): LOREAK (a.k.a. Flowers)

Loreak (a.k.a. Flowers)
Director: Jose Mari Goenaga / Jon Garano
Cast: Nagore Aramburu, Itziar Itunu, Itziar Aizpuru
In Basque language, with English subtitles

An important scene from the movie "Loreak"

This movie is a subtle romance. It is also about death and remembrance. A subtle hint of intrigue or mystery adds spice to this movie that's intended for the audience who have experienced to be in nearly similar situations. 

The movie is about three headstrong women. However, it's hard to establish the connection of these women during the first 20 or 30 minutes. In the beginning, one of the women regularly receives flowers from an anonymous sender, which makes her feel important at during the particular time when she experiences symptoms of menopause and unhappy marriage. Then there's this toll gate attendant and her mother-in-law. Then an accident and death happen, but there's a twist that makes mourning for the bereaved  a challenge. However, the death offers solution to a mystery, and connections among the women are established. Next scenes are mostly about flowers being brought and laid to the site of the accident. And then the painful conclusion.

I feel that the movie can also make a perfect novel. The use of flowers as metaphor for love, death, or remembrance is carefully explored in the movie. The three lead actors deliver practically perfect performances.

This is Spain's official submission to the Best Foreign Language Film race of 88th Academy Awards.

Rating: 4.0/4.0

Date seen: November 15, 2015