The family dynamic gets a serious look-see in “Luna Vieja (Old Moon)” from Puerto Rican-born, NYU-trained director-writer-(co)producer Raisa Bonnet, who tells a simple story of an innocent child’s darkness redeemed by a prudent grandmother.
When her husband dies, Elsa is visited at her small home in Vierques by her beautiful but naive granddaughter Mina (Laura Cristina Cardona) and her empty-souled father Alei (Julio Ramos). Elsa, a worldly creature played by the unaffectedly talented non-actor María Velázquez, discovers the father abusing the child—what he likes to all too thinly veil as “horseback riding.” Elsa takes action to help the girl retain whatever dignity is left her because of her father’s horrid actions.
Bonnet uses a naturalistic approach (amazing and poignant, considering it was shot on a micro-budget) with some nice camerawork from Cristian Carretero. Subtlety has its benefits. “Old Moon” elicits a proud, no-nonsense feeling of liberation. Of hope reborn.
Review written by Elias Savada.
The wind starts the film, the view of an Island that breathes history of love and resistance. The house , the characters, they are not acting is real. The love that the filmmaker has for the Island is present in every shot, is blissful art like the sun rays in Vieques. Is a powerful story that was created in beautiful moments of spontaneity and teamwork.
I remember seeing it for the first time and thinking that if seeing Luna Vieja was the last thing I saw I would had die happy because the film transported me to landscapes and feelings where my soul had been wanting to go to for a long time. The story is much more than the story. Bieké is the most precious flower and for years the flower was harmed by evil but now the roots are stronger than ever and this flower has seeded and one of these seeds grew into “Old Moon”.