When 9-year-old Abel assumes his absent father's role as man of the house, he garners his family's respect, and life resumes a comfortable rhythm -- until a man arrives at the house, claiming he's the long-lost patriarch
Acting
Christopher Ruiz-Esparza carries this film at age 9. Legend.
Direction
Diego Luna's debut: confident, weird, deeply personal.
Writing
The script walks a knife's edge between comedy and devastation.
Director
Diego Luna
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Christopher and Gerardo Ruiz-Esparza are real brothers—Diego Luna cast them after an open call in Mexico City found their natural sibling rivalry.
The film quietly critiques machismo culture by literalizing it through a child—Abel's 'fatherhood' mirrors performances of masculinity Luna saw growing up in Mexico.
MX
