[Ruby Hornet will be attending the 49th Chicago International Film Festival from 10/10 – 10/24. Be sure to follow along as we bring you coverage from the longest-running competitive international film festival in the country. You can find all of our coverage from this year’s CIFF here.]
Tanta Agua
Directors: Ana Guevara Pose and Leticia Jorge
Countries: Mexico, Netherlands, Uruguay
CIFF Screening: October 13, 2013 (6:00pm)
Tanta Agua tells the story of a divorced father, Alberto, taking his young son, Federico, and daughter, Lucia, out on vacation in Uruguay. However, his plans for a fun getaway are thwarted when harsh rainstorms take over the town. His optimism slowly begins to fade as his children are uncaring of his attempts to connect with them. While Alberto attempts to salvage an otherwise ruined trip, Lucia discovers her first taste of adolescent pain when a boy she develops a crush on has eyes for another girl.
Tanta Agua takes the formula of a broken family vacation and spins it with a South American flavor of a bittersweet, coming-of-age dramedy. Lucia’s heartache over her crush is compared to Alberto’s heartache over his inability to connect with his children. Yet, the film is never emotionally-draining or preachy with its themes. Rather, directors Ana Guevara Pose and Leticia Jorge crafted a film that banks on the subtlety of its themes as the pitter patter of raindrops against the family’s vacation house roof.
Score: 
6 out of 10