In A Poet, an aging, obscure writer mentors a talented teen, hoping to give her what he never had. But their bond — rooted in good intentions — spirals into a web of poor decisions and the weight of unmet ambitions.
Balancing wry, uncomfortable comedy with a perceptive take on Colombia’s current social milieu to tell a tale of hope lost and found, Simón Mesa Soto’s second feature — which won the Un Certain Regard Special Jury Prize this year at Cannes — follows hapless Oscar Restrepo.
Once a promising man of letters in his native Medellín, Restrepo is painfully coming to terms with the fact that his writing — maybe even his personality — isn’t taking him anywhere as he gets older… and he's not aging gracefully.
In comes young Yurlady (Rebeca Andrade), a shy but clearly gifted student from humble roots. Oscar finds respite in helping Yurlady cultivate her poetic streak. But his erratic ways and insistence on dragging her into the moody world of poets pitches everyone around him into turmoil.
Ubeimar Ríos is unforgettable as the volatile Oscar, who is self-aware, sort of, about his standing as a cliché of the misunderstood genius. Oscar is both a fool and a sage, depending on where we meet him. And while he genuinely cares, he seems incapable of being anything other than his own worst enemy. As he burns every bridge in his life, one can only hope Oscar finds redemption, or at least makes it to the other side in one piece.
DIANA CADAVID
Screenings
Scotiabank 2
Scotiabank 6
Scotiabank 4