As directors, their role (as they said at one of the screenings) was obvious: to set the stage for the actors to do what they do best: tell stories. The same goes for Puerto Rican-Guatemalan co-star Adria Arjona, as well as Cuban-American producer Phil Lord and his producing colleague Christopher Miller. Arjona – who we see deliberately fade into the background of her Cuban colleagues in her role as María, a kind, strong sanatorium nurse and Gustavo’s love interest – captivates you. I appreciate Arjona’s decision as executive producer to give her character the opportunity to shed light on the evolution of de la Puente’s character Gustavo as he evolves and begins to trust his own voice while distancing himself from any remnants of youth that disappeared too soon adopted. With every subtle phrase and every exchange between María and Gustavo, you can feel the gravity and tension of the situation that is brewing.
