The Ivy (film)
| The Ivy | |
|---|---|
| Spanish | Hiedra |
| Directed by | Ana Cristina Barragán |
| Written by | Ana Cristina Barragán |
| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Adrian Durazo |
| Edited by |
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| Music by | Claudia Baulies |
Production companies |
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Release date |
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Running time | 98 minutes |
| Countries |
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| Language | Spanish |
The Ivy (Spanish: Hiedra) is a 2025 drama film written and directed by Ana Cristina Barragán.
A co-production between Ecuador, Mexico, France and Spain, the film had its world premiere at the Orizzonti section of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on 3 September 2025, where Barragán won the section's Best Screenplay award.
Plot
Set in a remote coastal community, the film follows Azucena, a withdrawn young woman who lives in near isolation with her family. When Julio, a boy from the same village, begins to spend time with her, their fragile bond exposes long-suppressed childhood wounds. Through quiet observation and tactile imagery, the story explores themes of intimacy, emotional repression, and the difficulty of breaking inherited cycles of pain.[1][2]
Cast
- Simone Bucio as Azucena
- Francis Eddú Llumiquinga as Julio
Production
Barragán and producer Karla Souza first worked on the project during a workshop at the ArteCareyes Film Festival.[3] The project was first marketed at the 2021 International Film Festival Rotterdam CineMart.[3] The film was produced by Botón Films, BHD Films, Ciné-Sud Promotion and Guspira Films.[2][1] The cast mostly consists of non-professional actors.[2]
Release
The film had its world premiere at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival in the Orizzonti sidebar, in which it won the Best Screenplay Award.[1][4] It was later screened at the 73rd San Sebastián International Film Festival.[2]
Reception
Cineuropa's film critic Veronica Orciari wrote that "what we get is a very intense story, portrayed by an incredibly well-directed cast, and a strong sense of compositional balance. However, the film never feels fully complete [...] and this sensation may be unsettling for certain audiences".[1] Marc van de Klashorst from International Cinephile Society noted that "what stands out is how tactile Hiedra is, and how well it works as a visceral experience, at least insofar as a social realist drama allows" but complained that "too much time is wasted in the first hour".[5]
References
- ^ a b c d Orciari, Veronica (3 September 2025). "Review: The Ivy". Cineuropa. Retrieved 24 September 2025.
- ^ a b c d Fuente, Anna Marie de la (2 September 2025). "Ecuador's Ana Cristina Barragán on Her Venice Horizons Pic, 'The Ivy': 'I'm Once Again Drawn to Exploring Childhood Wounds'". Variety. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
- ^ a b Hopewell, John (11 January 2021). "'How to Get Away With Murder' Star Karla Souza to Headline Ana Cristina Barragan's 'The Ivy'". Variety. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
- ^ Gutierrez, Carlos (6 September 2025). "David Pablos and Ana Cristina Barragán Win Top Orizzonti Prizes at Venice". Cinema Tropical. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
- ^ van de Klashorst, Marc (3 September 2025). "Venice 2025 review: Hiedra (Ana Cristina Barragán)". International Cinephile Society. Retrieved 29 September 2025.