Baracoa

Antuán is at least a head taller than Leonel. No wonder – the 13-year-old boy with the dyed blond hair is a full four years older than his friend. All the same, they seem cut out for each other, playing complementary parts: Leonel is the loyal sidekick, Antuán the provocative dreamer. In the sleepy Cuban backwater of Pueblo Textil, they combat the monotony of the summer holidays with self-made adventures, wandering through abandoned ruins, and dreaming of a day at the beach. Their exploratory outings are recorded with a documentary gaze that is just as interested in the inner life of the boys. Neither of whom wants to think about Antuán’s upcoming move. When the time finally comes, his friend’s absence all but takes Leonel by surprise. (Berlinale)