Clara Sola, the fifteenth film of our 77th season achieved an overall appreciation score of 64%. Many members found this beautiful and engrossing while others found the film too long, slow and weird. Some of the comments submitted:
- Totally engrossing magical realism. Nature, sound, travelling camera superbly done. Clara wonderfully played, and I liked Yuca the horse.
- Intriguing story beautifully acted and produced.
- I rate the film very highly…right up there between 9 and 10. Every aspect of it was superb…. it didn’t feel like a film, it felt I was present with the actors and the story.
- Clara’s self-awakening from familial repression filmed with a spiritual sensibility. A theme of initially subdued but progressively stronger rebellion delivered by a captivating performance by the actor in the lead role and all set in a beautiful tropical rainforest. A powerful and original piece of filmmaking.
- Excellent! great film, keep it up !!
- Went straight to number 1 in my chart of the current season.
- Slightly longwinded but different area was interesting to be in.
- Interesting film but the ending left the story incomplete.
- Beautiful scenery and an interesting look into the Costa Rican culture. However the story line, though poignant and tragic, was unconvincing in places. It dragged a little too. You certainly felt for Clara’s plight, being controlled, unkindly by her mother. It is assumed that Clara had some learning disabilities as well as her scoliosis, but this was not believable in relation to her actions and sudden “awakening”. A sad ending which was sympathetically portrayed.
- Wonderful acting in the Clara role. Maybe too slow at times. But worth it for the ‘Magic Realism’ ending.
- Unusual, interesting and challenging around issues of gender, sexuality, disability and religion.
- Very mysterious and atmospheric.
- Thought this was just a very sad and demoralising film with a big anti catholic message – which is very familiar – it was well made but how about something a little more uplifting – a lot of the films this second half of the season have been pretty miserable – people have begun to notice I rarely say I have seen anything uplifting or really good – why go I am asked?
- I found it very slow and a bit odd – it didn’t really appeal to me.
- I don’t know whether I’ve become spoiled by the high quality of CFS films. This was ok, but not my favourite.
- Too drawn out at times – so a bit boring and kind of predictable. Also for a remote Costa Rican village they seemed too affluent!
- A subject not really to my taste and lacking in action and purpose for me.
- Too long; weird and not much story.