Parents' Guide to Familia

Fiction has taught us that nothing entirely good will happen when families gather over languorous meals to discuss their future. The clan at the center of Rodrigo García's Familia is no different. Even making their way to the family country home where they have spent some of their happiest times together, the now-adult children argue and bicker over what their dad Leo has to say to them. Will he try to sell their beloved house? Is he planning to marry his younger girlfriend, Clara (Maribel Verdu)? Gathering in the kitchen (García's lovely film is centered around food and the breaking of bread as an act of love), they begin to lower their defenses, creating a path for a film that might not be saying anything new but is doing so thoughtfully.

García beautifully directs an ensemble of various ages and cultural backgrounds, allowing every character to make a mark and allow us into their worldview. Some younger audience members might not be captivated by the pace and dialogue-heavy nature of the film, but teenagers will most likely find much to think about from the dynamics observed.