Michel Franco | Mexico & USA | 2025 | 95 min
Dreams is participating in our "Vanguard Visionaries" section!
Crossing the dangerous border between Mexico and the United States without documentation, Fernando, a young ballet dancer with big dreams, arrives in America in search of his lover. When he arrives at his partner’s doorsteps, Jessica, a philanthropist and wealthy heir to a prolific arts organisation, greets him with open arms. When the two lovers reunite, the polarities of power, gender, class and race are tested to the limits. Fernando's presence begins to raise questions amongst Jessica’s sphere of caucasian socialites. Manipulation, deceit and revenge culminate towards an unforgettable and controversial finale that boldly questions our morality and fervour for vengeance.
After Sundown and Memory, Michel Franco returns with an utterly singular examination of the political relations between the United States and Mexico. With Dreams, he constructs an elaborate and thought-provoking melodrama by subverting the tropes & cliches of its Sirkian genre. Anchored by grounded performances by Academy Award Winner Jessica Chastain and renowned ballet dancer Isaac Hernández, their unpredictable romance takes viewers on an emotional rollercoaster that accurately reflects upon the ugliness of the American dream. The suffocating intimacy shared between the doomed lovers skillfully examines themes of social performativity through the unbridled commitment of the two lead performers. Dreams is an audacious work of subversive melodrama that refuses to conform to easy answers. - David Cuevas
Official Selection: Official Competition Berlin Film Festival 2025, Karlovy Vary Film Festival 2025
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