EMA

Chile, 2019, 107 minutes, Colour.

Marianna Di Girolamo, Gael Garcia Bernal, Santiago Cabrera, Paola Giannini.

Directed by Pablo Larrain.

Many audiences will want to see Ema because it is directed by Chilean director Pablo Larrain, famous for his Chilean films but achieving international reputation with his portrait of Jacqueline Kennedy, Jackie, and his portrait of Diana, Princess of Wales, Spencer.

This film is set in the coastal city of Valparaiso and introduces us to a young woman in fire brigade clothing. This leads us to a story, sometimes in the present, often in the past, interconnecting flashbacks. Ema is a dancer, teaches dancing in a school, is alienated from her husband, played by Gael Garcia Bernal. It emerges that they have lost custody of their son and Ema is determined to have him back.

Which leads to a great number of emotional tangles, Ema and her women friends, and the audience discovering that she is what is called “omnisexual”, affairs with women, and affairs with a man who is married who is willing to leave his wife for her. In the meantime, her husband, seemingly detached, critical, organising some choreography, observes what is going on.

Ultimately, Ema devises a plan to recover her son – leading into dramatic and emotional tangles with the woman and the man, married to each other, with whom she has had affairs.

Atmospheric, dramatic, often confusing.

1. The title and the focus on Ema? As a person, her character, actions, consequences?
2. The city of Valparaiso, vistas of the city, Chile and atmosphere, homes, schools, the streets, the coast? The musical score?
3. The significance of dance, the styles, the music, the movement, the rhythms? On stage, Ema and her presence? The colour background? The dance throughout the film, the rhythms? Ema and her teaching the children at school?
4. The narrative, in the present, the range of flashbacks, the intercutting of each, the audience sorting out what was happening, what it happened?
5. Gaston, his relationship with Ema, the nature of their marriage, the adoption of the boy, his behaviour, destructive, the fires, Ema originally seen in firefighters gear, the image of the fires, in the streets, the traffic lights, the later range of fires? Gaston impotent, Ema and her desire for children? His being the dance director, with Ema, with the cast? His snobbery about dance and rhythms? A sympathetic character?
6. Ema, her appearance, age, her relationship with her mother? Her friendships, the gathering of the women, sharing, dancing? Rakel, Ema and her relationship with her? Intimate?
7. The encounter with Anibal, Anibal, discussions, his marriage, relationship with his wife, prepared to leave her, his demands on Ema? The sexual relationship? Pregnancy?
8. Ema and her plan, discussions with social services, concern about her son, her teaching, leaving, interview with the new school, declarations of freedom, her being hired, the class, her son present, escaping with him?
9. The two couples coming together, the intricacy of the relationships, intimacies? The son and his presence with the couple, Ema wanting him?
10. A portrait of a wilful young woman, wanting freedoms, wanting her son? Her behaviour, attitudes, “omnisexual”?