Family Affairs

The promising feature debut of screenwriter and director Carolina África, Family Affairs (also known as Verano en diciembre), is a nuanced comedy about family relationships, centered on Teresa (Carmen Machi), her four daughters, and her over-90-year-old mother-in-law.

When Teresa’s children return to the family home on the anniversary of their father’s death, their vastly different personalities spark conflicts and bring long-buried tensions back to the surface. Featuring several prominent figures of Spanish-language cinema in leading roles, the film is an especially strong showcase for Machi, who, according to critic Pablo Veiga Carpintero, “conveys the burden of assumed responsibility and the complexity of family bonds with profound depth.” (NY)