Grief is often described as a cryptic crossword clue—a conundrum so vast that there are simply not enough cells in the grid to fit the answer. Yet, for some, it becomes an all-consuming obsession that must be adapted to and wrestled with. Such is the journey of Martha, a meek Columbian factory worker whose relentless search for answers and justice has morphed into a deeply consuming fixation.
Martha will not rest until she knows the whereabouts of her missing son, one of thousands who were “disappeared” during a period of intense domestic oppression. Her quest is not just a personal tragedy; it is a reckoning with systemic silence, pushing her to embark on an endless odyssey that spans years.
This quest finds its cinematic reflection in a compelling film where the narrative dances along the tightrope between reality and the surreal. The story explores Martha’s journey as she hops across the country, participating in digs, exhumations, and collective therapy sessions—a testament to the sheer, unyielding will of a mother determined to find her truth.
The film positions Martha at the center of this psychological labyrinth. Much of the storytelling involves long stretches where Martha stares into the middle distance, sometimes descending into waking nightmares as she follows one lead into the next. Her unending journey is mirrored by cinematic explorations of time and the abyss.
A particularly intriguing development emerges when Martha receives a cryptic hot tip from a woman named Sandra, who herself has been searching for truth for an epic twenty-eight years. Sandra offers Martha an invitation—a chance to commune with the dead—provided Martha can supply enough cash for their joint travels across land and water. This moment throws the central conflict into sharper relief: is this another path toward justice, or a dangerous descent into fantasy?
The narrative masterfully balances on Nava’s unsmiling central figure, a woman fixated on what she perceives as her life’s defining work. Everything else fades into distraction; even surviving family members become mere echoes in her relentless project.
While the pursuit feels fueled by a nearly junkie mentality—sometimes allowing herself to ask for funds to continue her work—the powerful societal sympathy surrounding missing families in Colombia provides a certain buffer, ensuring Martha can fund her latest, most extraordinary odyssey.
Ultimately, the film is a slow burn that keeps its cards closely guarded. It sets up a dramatic will she/won’t she finale, but instead gravitates toward a conclusion that skirts the very bounds of reality and fantasy, leaving the audience to ponder whether Martha is chasing an impossible dream or stumbling upon the elusive truth she has sought all along.
Credit: Little White Lies
