The Catholic church has many ingrained traditions. Many of which lead to a quizzically raised eyebrow at the least in 2022. One of them is if a son becomes a priest and has an unmarried sister. She must follow him to his posting and care for her brother while he performs his priestly duties. This was the reality for director Valerie Buhagiar's elderly Aunt Rita and the inspiration for her version of Carmen. When Buhagiar told others the story she discovered that similar events occurred in different cultures around the world. Hearing about all of these women fueled her need to tell the story.
Carmen (Natascha McElhone) is a forlorn solitary figure occupying the back pew clad in black at her brothers church. The townsfolk believe that she is basically already dead walking around with a with a frozen lamb in her heart. Her brother the priest then dies suddenly and she has no idea what to do having been his servant for the past 34 years. She hides in the bell tower for a bit then wanders into the priest's side of the confessional box coxed by a guardian angel pigeon and begins to give beneficial advice to the townsfolk. She is caught out by the new caretaker Rita (Michela Farrugia) awaiting her brother to come to replace Carmen's. Cast out with a small suitcase in hand she first gets her hair cut. sells some church trinkets of questionable ownership on the other side of the island and buys a bright red dress. Carmen is finally expressing herself drawing the attention of Men for the first time in a long time.
Director Buhagiar who was born in Malta but grew up in Toronto is very at home on the island. The villages, landscape and blue waters were all accented by cinematographer Diego Guijarro's well trained lens. The viewer can almost feel the cool breeze, the rocks under your feet, and sense the warmth of the Mediterranean Sea. As writer as well the long time screen actor wanted to tell the tale of a woman that was pushed aside seemingly invisible to the townspeople slowing coming back to life, getting her colour back, and beginning to live for herself again. Natascha McElhone is strong in the title role. She learned some Maltese and transforms right before the viewer's eyes as the film progresses. The ratty hair gone, a carefree attitude bubbles to the surface willing to go wherever the day may take her. Buhagiar's decision to set the film in the 80s adds to the adherence to tradition as it was a simpler time. We are on Island time here where things move at a much slower pace, people are generally happier and things still get done. Michela Farrugia is a fiery equal to McElhone as Rita the new caretaker for her never arriving brother. She holds Carmen to account for her reckless actions, has a strong romantic interest in Tonio (Andre Agius) that she will have to abandon when her brother arrives as she is dedicated to the rules and tradition of the church. Despite Rita's hostility towards her Carmen does not want Rita to suffer the same fate as she has encouraging Rita to follow her heart.
*** Out of 4.
Carmen | Valerie Buhagiar | Malta /Canada | 2022| 87 Minutes.
Tags: Malta, Catholic Church, Rectory, Lost Love, Caregiver, Housekeeper, Servant, Absolution, Offerings, Tower Bell, Suitcase, Pigeon.
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