Set in Melilla, an autonomous city of Spain situated on the north coast of Africa, Violeta Salama’s debut feature “Alegría”,
The heartfelt family drama centers around Alegría – curt matriarch and host to her niece’s upcoming wedding – and the varied relationships with the women in her orbit. “Alegría” stars Mexican actress Cecilia Suárez (“The House of Flowers,” “3 Caminos”), whose aplomb and comic timing anchors a film filled with familial chaos and clashing traditions.
Salama co-wrote with Isa Sánchez, drawing from the director’s own experiences growing up in Melilla. Indeed, “Alegría” plays at once as homage to a city whose vivid contrasts and blended culture perfectly reflects the contour of the characters’ interconnected dramas. The women of “Alegría” paint a mural of strength, love, courage, compassion and trust, and at last show their bond is unbounded, finding the self in selflessness.