Beloved/Friend (1999)

Member Rating:

One of the most renowned directors of Catalan cinema, Ventura Pons explores the themes of aging, relationships and loyalties in a strong psychological drama which uses the will written by an ailing man as a catalyst for the true emotions of others to surface. Jaume Clara (Joseph Maria Pou), a professor of medieval literature, is getting old. Sensing that his time is near, he thinks back on his life and reflects on what he can leave behind for those he loves. He writes his will in essay form, loosely based on Ramon Llull's Book of Friends and the Beloved, and stores it in his computer. The reactions he provokes from the people involved are quite different than what he expected. His best friend Pere (Mario Gas) is disturbed by the will and thinks it must be Jaume's fear of death that has prompted him to write such a thing. David (David Selvas), his brightest student, refuses to be Jaume's heir at the expense of his freedom. Meanwhile, Pere is having family problems involving his wife and his daughter. Five people have to face up to the idea of Jaume's death, a painful process that does not spare anyone's feelings. As war breaks among the five, it is hard to know who are the winners and the losers. Pons weaves an intricate web of tragic relations and conflicts in this film, which was screened as part of the Panorama section of the 49th International Berlin Film Festival, 1999. ~ Gönül Dönmez-Colin, Rovi