A Window to the Sea

Emma Suárez, the star of Almodóvar's JULIETA, delivers a moving performance as Maria, a 55-year-old woman living in Bilbao who learns that she has an advanced stage of cancer. Before beginning treatment, she takes a trip to Greece with two gal pals, but her mood remains guarded ("I'm not a risk-taker") until they visit the small Aegean island of Nisyros. Seduced by the island's simplicity and serenity, she impulsively decides to stay on by herself. Exploring the isolated beaches and rediscovering passion with a local sponge fisherman, Maria keeps postponing her departure, much to the dismay of her worried son. Inspired by his own mother's death, director Jiménez says, "I wanted to make a very simple, honest film," and the results are moving without being mawkish, beautiful but not fancy.