Southern Cross (2012)

Southern Cross aka Cruz Del Sur (2012) is about a middle-aged man (Juan) living in Montevideo, Uruguay with his lovely wife, a cute daughter and his caring father who runs a local bakery. Juan loses his job as a Sales manager in a lab and goes in search of a suitable job in Barcelona, Spain. His cousin living there leaves him to fend for himself in a hotel on the first day of his arrival in the foreign country. Juan struggles with settling down in a new city & new country, and living for months without a job; the only thing that makes it easy for him is the language (Spanish). Luckily he meets a bartender Mariano, a friendly chap from Argentina living in Barcelona for years; Juan becomes friends with Mariano and his colleague Julia, who takes Juan around Barcelona. What happens next? Does he make a career and settle down in Barcelona or return to Uruguay is the rest of the story.

The film directed and acted by David Sanz as Juan is a focussed story-telling, it revolves around Juan’s character, his struggles and his likings. The biggest for this simple storyline was the apt casting. Excellent acting by Jorge Temponi who comes as Juan’s friend Mariano. The lovely Leonor Svarcas has been given only a little screen time, she has given a passionate performance. Zaida Fornieles as Julia has done a good job in her role.

The film was screened as part of the Spanish Film Festival in Chennai organised by ICAF and Cinema Republic, Spain.