P&I AMAZING ELISA

Elisa is an unusual 12-year-old girl. Obsessed with the heroine from her favorite comic book, she’s convinced that she has the same superpowers. Elisa’s headstrong obsession with avenging her mother’s death causes nothing but problems for her beleaguered father as she fearlessly puts herself in increasingly dangerous situations. In a nearby neighborhood, Héctor, a self-absorbed and emotionally distant painter, and his long-suffering, crippled wife Úrsula have their own set of issues. While preparing for a gallery opening, Héctor discovers that Úrsula has spent their savings in an unusual attempt to get an emotional rise out of him at any cost. And through it all, a living, breathing incarnation of Elisa’s superheroine idol stalks her way through the same city streets. Unfolding as a series of seemingly unconnected events, each scene draws us deeper into this strange world. Director Sadrac González-Perellón crafts a darkly comedic thriller, full of absurd situations, simmering tension, and shocking violence. At once intimate and almost clinically cold, with parallels to Yorgos Lanthimos’ work at times, but make no mistake, González-Perellón has his own distinct vision and voice. Impressive acting from the entire cast anchors the film (Fantastic Fest regulars will recognize Iván Massagué from 2019’s THE PLATFORM), but Jana San Antonio really excels in the titular role, making even the most bizarre situations seem plausible. Enigmatic, stylish, and assured, AMAZING ELISA is a phenomenal film that will stay with you long after you leave the theater. (LISA DREYER)