Dos estaciones

Juan Pablo González directs this muted yet captivating character study about a dying local business and the woman at its centre. Teresa Sánchez plays Maria Garcia, the no-nonsense proprietor of an artisanal tequila company that's been in her family for generations. Multiple threats including years of poor agave harvests, unexpected floods, a persistent plague, and a big American tequila factory that set up shop nearby, have all but killed this once-majestic local source of pride and economic stability for the community. Once one of the wealthiest women in Jalisco, Maria must now face the fact that she can't afford to pay her debts. She hires a new young assistant named Rafita (Rafaela Fuentes) in an attempt to help turn things around, but the writing is on the wall.

The picture is a portrait of restraint. Maria is so stoic it's hard to tell if she's shrewdly concocting a master plan, or simply living in denial. Rafita, a more vivacious and outgoing person, matches Maria's understated demeanour. The relationship that develops between them, which is nearly non-verbal and almost devoid of touch is fascinating to watch.  González and cinematographer Gerardo Guerra frame their characters, as well as the fields, farms and factory settings, almost like a beautiful prison, where activities, some now futile, are carried out in a routine manner as they have been for centuries. The film feels lethargic, but not because it's boring. You want things to play out slowly because, like the characters, you keep holding out for a miracle that will turn things around. But it will take more than a miracle.