Coy and smoldering attraction simmers in Argentine director Mariana Wainstein‘s debut feature, “Linda,” which sees its world premiere in Toronto as part of this year’s TIFF Discovery program, showcasing debut and sophomore films from emergent global talent. The festival runs Sept. 5-15.
Producedby Argentina’s Pampa Films and co-produced by Bourke Films and Spain’s Gloriamundi Producciones, the narrative follows Linda, played byEugenia “China” Suárez (“Alternative Therapy”),freshly employed as a housekeeper by an otherwise milquetoast family. Well-off and distracted, they move around in a tightly wound haze until she slowly coaxes their latent dreams and desires to the surface.
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“It’s a film that explores family dynamics, a theme that captivates many. With a dedicated cast committed to this task, we’ve managed to create a narrative that not only entertains but also invites reflection on the importance of family relationships in our lives. Each character has been developed in depth to offer an authentic view of the complexities and joys that family bonds entail. We’re very excited to bring this film to audiences around the world,” Cabe Bossi, co-CEO at Pampa Films, remarked.
Sold by boutique sales firm Meikincine, the original script was written by Wainstein alongside Diego Bliffeld, Luciano Cocciardi, Horacio Convertini, Juan Cordoni, Sabrina Campos and Nancy Gay, inspired by an idea from regional writer Mario Mactas.
“We’re very excited to work on this sensual and very powerful story with a unique look. The selection of ‘Linda’ in Discovery is wonderful news to begin the film’s international journey since it highlights Mariana’s work as a debut director,” Meikincine’s Lucia Meik stated.
Shared exclusively withPvNew, the first-peek trailer is a voyeuristic romp into the void, the family keeping a keen eye on the new helper as she dutifully completes her chores, becoming closer to each family member by the second as their once-certain lives unravel around them, their shortcomings on full display.
From her introduction to her quick comfort on-premise, the teaser glimpses Linda’s pointed magnetism and the hushed effect she effortlessly has on the entire brood despite remaining shrouded in mystery.
The poster for the film shows its namesake with her dark hair tied back, standing in the doorway, peering out with a subtle, headstrong glance. A photo of the family hangs, centered and hazy in the background, the tagline “not everything stays in the family” strewn humbly, top left.
Julieta Cardinali (“Maradona: Blessed Dream”), Rafael Spregelburd (“The Man Next Door”), Minerva Casero (“Yosi, the Regretful Spy”), Felipe Otaño (“Society of the Snow”) and Agustin Della Corte (“Society of the Snow”) round out the intimate cast.
A fresh take on the ever-indulgent trope of the femme fatale, Linda is an everywoman who is anything but commonplace. Defiant, suave and carefree, she remains unapologetic in her pursuits, weaving a psychological web out of their best-laid plans and superficial facades.
“Linda’s unsettling. She sustains silence, disconcerting looks, and an unexpected confidence that forces them all to react. Her terse and blunt demeanor inadvertently places her in a position of power while her calm gaze isn’t submissive, but overwhelming, and that arouses their desire,” Wainstein, who previously worked as screenwriter and collaborator on Santiago Korovsky’s eight-episode Netflix comedy “División Palermo,” toldPvNew.
“The film allows me to explore family dynamics, a topic that fascinates me. The implicit rules, the collective movement and the limited space for individuality within the family system in certain contexts,” she said in a statement.
Concluding, “What happens to personal desire? To what extent can one listen to their own voice within the norms of a household or society? What happens when a stranger intrudes into an established order and breaks the apparent equilibrium? How does the family reconfigure itself, and what’s left behind? Silence, as the main strategy, to maintain control.”
