Making its World Premiere at Fantastic Fest, “Amazing Elisa” by Spanish writer-director Sadrac González-Perellón tells the story of 12-year-old Elisa played by Jana San Antonio who is obsessed with her favorite comic book heroine Galerista, who dresses like a character from “The Matrix”, carries a knife, and roams the streets with her pet rottweiler, Dante. I should also note that Elisa believes she has superpowers as seen in the film’s opening scene which features the adolescent instructing a friend to stab her with a knife.
For 104 minutes the viewer is held hostage by González-Perellón’s imagination filled with three-dimensional characters. Elisa lives with her father Esteban (Iván Massagué), who is coping with the death of his wife (Elisa’s mother), she died in a car accident. He goes along with Elisa’s claim that she has superpowers, thinking as we do that it’s a coping mechanism for the young girl. Sure, she can bend spoons, but a stab wound to the shoulder demonstrates her alleged powers are limited.
Elisa and her father’s story is intertwined with that of Úrsula (Asier Etxeandia), a paraplegic who goes through caretakers like there’s no tomorrow, and her self-centered artist husband Héctor (Asier Etxeandia). The two have a love-hate relationship. One minute he appears to be very loving, dressing her gently as if he’s Prince Charming placing a glass slipper on Cinderella’s foot, later he’s betraying her with an unforgivable act.
“Amazing Elisa” keeps the audience engaged with rich and deep characters. As we watch superheroine Galerista walk the city streets with her faithful dog, a living breathing incarnation of Elisa’s idol, we question if it’s real or part of Elisa’s imagination. There are plenty of unforgettable moments in González-Perellón’s haunting film including a scene where Elisa, armed with a baseball bat as if she’s Harley Quinn, confronts a neighbor who beats his wife and son, or the scene where Galerista is trapped in a restroom by two men with bad intentions, and then there’s the tension-filled ending that will linger with you long after viewing.
A haunting score, first-rate performances, vivid characters, and an enigmatic storyline that blends fantasy with reality (Yorgos Lanthimos has been mentioned) make this one of the best films at this year’s festival. An astonishing accomplishment from Spanish filmmaker Sadrac González-Perellón.
“Amazing Elisa” had its World Premiere at Fantastic Fest on Thursday, September 22. The film will screen again Tuesday, September 27 at 8:15pm
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