It will probably remove any sense of objectivity to say that I was one of the Kickstarter supporters, but then whilst objectivity has its uses, reviews are by nature subjective anyway. And anyone who pretends otherwise is a jerk (as the kids say [I’m told] I don’t make the rules!). Objectively I can tell you this is a beautifully shot film with a talented cast — especially Olivia Vinall! — and an amazing soundtrack and sound design. The scene depicted in the movie poster above, where the artist stands alone absorbing all the sounds of the Mexican jungles, is absolute glowing magic.

The pavilion she stands upon is part of Edward James’ Xilitla estate Las Pozas. The collector visited Mexico, buying some of Leonora’s paintings as well as some of her friends’ and fell in love with the land, too. The opening here introduces the themes that the film weaves together: the magic of Mexico and its embrace of death as the inevitable companion of life. Leonora has been through a lot by this point in her life: much of it tragic and most of it bringing death into her orbit. While much has been made of her mental breakdown during the war, this film is really about how she comes to embrace life rather than fearing death and how that re-energises her creativity.

People expecting a standard biopic will be disappointed, but that is clearly not the aim of the filmmakers. While they are at least nominally adapting Elena Poniatowska’s novel, and run through a number of major events in her lifeline, the focus is on the creative journey and the transformation that allows her to turn back to art with strength. Those knowledgeable about her life and the Paris of the Surrealists — and the wonderful house in Saint-Martin-d’Ardèche! — will probably feel more comfortable with the gallop to get back to the lush Mexico of the opening scenes. And you will be humming those songs, too. I wish there had been more of the friendship with Remedios Varo and for that matter, Kati Horna — often called las tres brujas by their friends. There is a tarot scene where Remedios reads for Leonora, which of course I loved even though it was hard to see the cards watching the stream on my laptop. I will be buying a disk.

DIRECTOR Thor Klein & Lena Vurma [Vurma appears as Kati Horna]
CAST Olivia Vinall, Alexander Scheer, Cassandra Ciangherotti, Ryan Gage, Istvan Teglas, Luis Gerardo Mendez
SOUNDTRACK Maria Portugal and Caro Luna
SOUND DESIGN Adrian Lo