About Movie: "Vera y el placer de los otros" is a 2023 Argentine coming-of-age drama co-directed and co-written by Romina Tamburello and Federico Actis. The film centers on Vera, a 17-year-old who secretly rents out an empty apartment to other teenagers for their private encounters. Initially motivated by money, Vera discovers that listening to the pleasure of others becomes a catalyst for exploring her own burgeoning sexual desires and understanding of intimacy.
Plot Summary: Vera, a teenager balancing school and volleyball, devises a clandestine business: subletting an unoccupied apartment owned by her mother's real estate company to other teenagers seeking a space for sexual activity. She discreetly manages the logistics, pocketing the rental fees. However, her involvement transcends mere entrepreneurship as she begins to listen from behind closed doors, experiencing a vicarious awakening of her own sexuality and grappling with her emerging desires. This journey of observation and self-discovery unfolds against the backdrop of her everyday life and her relationship with her mother.
Director's Vision: Federico Actis and Romina Tamburello envisioned "Vera y el placer de los otros" as a film that fearlessly explores desire, teenage sexuality, and female masturbation. Their aim was to champion the right to self-discovery in terms of pleasure, unburdened by external judgment or expectations. They sought to portray Vera's journey, with all its teenage contradictions and anxieties, as one of courageous exploration. Furthermore, they aimed to parallel Vera's journey with that of her mother, Adriana, highlighting the exploration of desire across different generations. The directors wanted to depict sex in a joyful light, challenge taboos around female pleasure, and emphasize that the pursuit of enjoyment requires continuous questioning and bravery.
Themes:
Exploration of Female Sexuality and Desire: The film delves deeply into the complexities of teenage female sexuality, portraying Vera's journey of discovering her own desires and challenging societal norms around female pleasure.
Coming-of-Age and Self-Discovery: Vera's experience of running the rental scheme becomes a catalyst for her personal growth and understanding of herself, navigating the confusing terrain of adolescence and emerging sexuality.
Challenging Taboos around Pleasure: The directors intentionally address the often-taboo topics of sex, female masturbation, and the right to experience pleasure without shame or moral judgment.
Intergenerational Perspectives on Sexuality: The film subtly explores the sexuality of Vera's mother, offering a contrasting perspective on female desire at a different stage of life.
Voyeurism and Intimacy: Vera's initial act of listening to others' pleasure evolves into a form of self-discovery, raising questions about the nature of intimacy and the role of observation in understanding one's own desires.
Key Success Factors:
Bold and Unique Narrative: The film's premise of a teenage girl profiting from renting a space for sex and simultaneously exploring her own sexuality offers a fresh and unconventional story.
Authentic Portrayal of Teenage Experience: The film resonates by capturing the nuances of teenage curiosity, confusion, and the journey of self-discovery related to sexuality.
Fearless Exploration of Taboo Subjects: By openly addressing female pleasure and desire, the film taps into important contemporary conversations and challenges societal norms.
Strong Performances: Luciana Grasso's portrayal of Vera has been recognized with awards, suggesting a compelling and believable central performance.
Positive Critical Reception: The praise from critics at various festivals and publications indicates a well-crafted and impactful film.
Summary Short: A teenage girl rents out an apartment for other teens to have sex, using the experience to explore her own sexuality.
Awards and Nominations: "Vera y el placer de los otros" received two nominations in 2024: the Jordan Ressler First Feature Award for Federico Actis and Romina Tamburello at the Miami Film Festival, and the Sebastiane Award for Best Latin American Film for Federico Actis and Romina Tamburello at the San Sebastián International Film Festival.
Critics Reception: The film has received generally positive reviews from critics.
Filmaffinity: The site aggregates professional reviews, noting that critics praised the film's convincing script, careful staging, frankness, sexual freedom, lack of prejudice, empathy, and intelligence.
Página 12 (Argentina): Diego Brodersen noted the film's smooth and transparent narrative, appreciating its avoidance of sensationalism and moralizing, and gave it a rating of 7 out of 10.
OtrosCines.com: Diego Batlle described it as a beautiful and sensitive debut film that celebrates sex in its variations, curiosity, exploration, and adolescent discovery with ease and joy, giving it 4 out of 5 stars.
Diario La Nación (Argentina): Paula Vázquez Prieto called it an intelligent debut film about a young woman on the verge of discovery, rating it 4 out of 5 stars.
MicropsiaCine.com: Diego Lerer highlighted the film's strengths in its script, direction, frankness, and intelligence.
DMovies: While acknowledging the beautifully filmed sex scenes and excellent soundtrack, the reviewer found the narrative development and mother-daughter relationship lacking.
Summary: Critics largely praised the film for its fresh perspective on female sexuality, its honest portrayal of teenage self-discovery, and its avoidance of moral judgment. The directors' sensitive approach to potentially controversial themes and the strong central performance were also highlighted. However, some critics noted minor shortcomings in narrative depth and character development.
Reviews:
IMDb: The film holds a user rating of 7.4 out of 10, indicating generally positive audience reception.
Filmaffinity: The user reviews on the site also lean towards positive, with many highlighting the film's boldness and refreshing take on teenage sexuality.
Summary: Overall, reviews from both critics and general audiences suggest a positive reception for the film, appreciating its unique premise and exploration of complex themes.
Box Office: Information regarding the specific box office performance of the movie was not found in the search results.
Production: "Vera y el placer de los otros" is an Argentine production from 2023. It marks the debut fiction feature for directors Federico Actis and Romina Tamburello, who also co-wrote the screenplay. The film was shot in Rosario city, Argentina, at the end of 2021 with support from the National Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual Arts from Argentina (INCAA). This collaboration resulted in a film that has garnered international attention for its unique storytelling.
Production Companies: Pez Cine (Argentina)
Sales Companies: M-Appeal (Germany). M-Appeal is the international sales representative for "Vera y el placer de los otros", handling its distribution and sales worldwide across all media formats.
Distribution Companies: Cinetren (Argentina). Cinetren served as the theatrical distributor for "Vera y el placer de los otros" in Argentina, handling its release in cinemas in 2024.
Link IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt26733463/
Link Review: https://dmovies.org/2023/11/09/vera-and-the-pleasure-of-others-vera-y-el-placer-de-los-otros/
Link to watch: https://www.justwatch.com/de/Film/vera-and-the-pleasure-of-others (Germany)
Why to Recommend This Movie:
Unique and Thought-Provoking Story: The film offers a fresh and unconventional narrative that explores teenage sexuality and self-discovery in an engaging way.
Addresses Important Social Themes: It tackles relevant topics such as female pleasure and challenges societal taboos around sex with sensitivity and honesty.
Critically Acclaimed: The positive reviews and recognition from international film festivals highlight its quality and artistic merit.
Strong Central Performance: Luciana Grasso's award-winning performance as Vera is compelling and anchors the film.
Why to Watch Movie:
Offers a Fresh Perspective on Coming-of-Age: Unlike typical narratives, this film provides a unique and unfiltered look at a teenager's journey of sexual awakening.
Explores Complex Themes with Nuance: The film delves into desire, intimacy, and self-discovery without resorting to simplistic or judgmental portrayals.
Supports Emerging Filmmakers: It's the debut fiction feature from talented Argentine directors, offering a glimpse into new voices in cinema.
Engaging and Memorable: The film's unique premise and bold approach are likely to leave a lasting impression on viewers.
What Movie Trend film is following: Honest and Unfiltered Coming-of-Age Stories: The film aligns with a growing trend in cinema that seeks to portray the complexities of adolescence, including sexuality, with greater honesty and less sanitization. This trend often focuses on diverse perspectives and challenges traditional representations of teenage experiences. "Vera y el placer de los otros" fits this trend by centering on a female protagonist exploring her sexuality on her own terms, without the typical male gaze or moralistic framing.
What Big Social Trend is following: Increasing Openness around Female Sexuality and Pleasure: The film taps into the significant and ongoing social trend of destigmatizing female sexuality and promoting open conversations about female pleasure. This trend involves challenging historical taboos, advocating for sexual education and autonomy, and celebrating diverse expressions of female desire. "Vera y el placer de los otros" contributes to this trend by making female pleasure a central theme and portraying it as a natural and empowering aspect of self-discovery.
Final Verdict: "Vera y el placer de los otros" is a compelling and thought-provoking debut feature that offers a fresh and honest exploration of teenage female sexuality. While it may touch on potentially sensitive topics, its sensitive direction, strong central performance, and critical recognition suggest a film that is both artistically significant and relevant to contemporary social conversations.
Recommendations for movie industry: The success and positive reception of "Vera y el placer de los otros" suggest that there is an audience for films that:
Embrace diverse and nuanced portrayals of female sexuality and coming-of-age experiences.
Are willing to tackle potentially taboo subjects with honesty and without moral judgment.
Support emerging filmmakers with unique voices and perspectives from diverse cultural backgrounds.
Recognize the value of films that spark conversations and challenge societal norms in a thoughtful way.
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