Educational Media Reviews Online

Writer and director Fernando Timossi’s film The Foam of Days (La Espuma de los Dias) tells the story of the bond between four friends who reside in the seaside neighborhoods of Casablanca and Regla, Cuba. Elegante, played by Hugo Reyes, was recently released from a five-year stint in prison over the accidental killing of a man. He is haunted by a life that passed him by as a result of his incarceration. His friends are there to support Elegante, who has become their defacto leader, and together they complete odd jobs and schemes to make a living. As the story unfolds, it becomes apparent that the neighborhoods in which they grew up in and love are also holding them prisoner from their dreams and aspirations of a life outside of their home.

The setting of the film is vibrant and lived in. Throughout, Timossi utilizes music and poems that exemplify the beauty and sadness that resides in the quiet streets of the film. Much of the time is spent getting to know the layout that makes up the daily commute to and from their homes. It is both a love letter as well as a cautionary tale of the gravitational pull that small communities can have to its residents. The Havana skyline can be seen across the harbor from their neighborhoods as a symbol of something to aspire to but is unattainable. Each character tackles their own struggle with the life they have grown accustomed to, but their tight circle is always there to offer support and direction.

This film would serve well for courses who utilize Spanish language media for their instruction.

Awards:

Havana International Film Festival Special Mention Award

Published and licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. Anyone can use these reviews, so long as they comply with the terms of the license.