Alegria
(Alegría)
Violeta Salama | Drama, Comedy
2021 | 104 minutes | Spain
A story of reconciliation told by a Jewish woman, a Muslim, and a Christian living in Morocco.
Synopsis
Alegría’s life shifts profoundly upon discovering that her orthodox Jewish brother insists on holding his daughter’s wedding in Melilla. Guided by Dunia, her Arab housekeeper, and Marian, her Christian confidante, Alegría embarks on a journey to connect with her roots while assisting her niece, Yael, in navigating womanhood within a highly conservative male-dominated environment.
Renowned Mexican actress Cecilia Suárez (The House of Flowers, 3 Caminos) takes the lead, infusing the film with her charisma and impeccable comedic timing, amidst a backdrop of familial tumult and conflicting traditions.
Alegría is also about Melilla, an autonomous, multicultural Spanish city on Africa’s north coast, where Jews, Muslims, and Christians mix and mingle and come together to make the wedding happen. It is a gorgeous evocation of a fascinating and beautiful corner of the world not often seen on-screen.
Reviews
“A comedy with an optimistic message about multiculturalism and a sense of identity, about the possibility of reconciliation, cohabitation and harmony, despite the differences that separate us.” – Júlia Olmo, Cineeuropa
“Violeta Salama’s warm and sensitive feature debut, Alegría, is exactly the kind of film you look for at a Jewish Film Festival: a travelogue and a story of culture, religion, and family.” — Alex Heeney, Seventh Row
“First element to highlight: shown as it is shown here, with its charm, but also its contradictions, Melilla has never been seen in Spanish cinema as it is in Alegría, a powerful stroke of a new, promising filmmaker, Violeta Salama. Second element: this is a film made from a feminine sensibility.” — Mirito Torreiro, Fotogramas
“The women of Alegría paint a mural of strength, love, courage, compassion and trust, and at last show their bond is unbounded, finding the self in selflessness.” — JD Linville, Variety
Citation
Coming soon.
Cataloging
A MARC record for this title is not available yet.
Pragda subjects
Culture + Identity
Economics + Social Class Issues
Family
Iberian Studies
Migration Studies
Race + Ethnicity
Religion + Spirituality
Sociology
Women
Keywords
Clips
Festivals
Sephardi Jewish Film Festival - Pomegranate Award for Rising Star; FICAL Almería International Film Festival - Best Director; Carmen Awards - Best Art Direction; Toronto Jewish Film Festival; Guadalajara International Film Festival; Seville European Film Festival; Málaga Film Festival
DIRECTOR: Violeta Salama
NATIONALITY: Spain
YEAR: 2021
GENRE: Drama, Comedy
LANGUAGE: Spanish; Other languages
COLOR / B&W: Color
GRADE LEVEL: Middle School, High School, College, Adult
SUBTITLE/CC: AVAILABLE
AUDIO DESCRIPTION: NOT AVAILABLE
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