A Poet

Once a promising young poet, Oscar Restrepo (Ubeimar Rios) is now an aging, bitter alcoholic who hasn’t written anything worthwhile in decades. Nearly destitute and barely tolerated by his own family, Oscar reluctantly takes a job teaching at a local high school where he meets Yurlady (Rebeca Andrade), a talented student with a gift for poetry herself. Inspired to take the young pupil under his wing and help her cultivate her art, Oscar begins to rediscover his purpose — but drawing Yurlady into the poetry world will not be not as simple as planned.

This year’s winner of the Un Certain Regard Jury Prize at Cannes, A Poet is at once a wry character study, a biting social satire, and a timely meditation on the contradictions of making art within an inhospitable environment. Directed by rising Colombian director Simón Mesa Soto, the film shifts adroitly between scenes of melancholy lyricism and razor-sharp cringe comedy. As Oscar, first-time performer Rios (a high school teacher in real life) anchors the film with a candid portrait in the struggle between narcissism, self-sabotage and moral integrity.

Immensely appealing and caustic social satire.

B+, Ben Croll, IndieWire

Morbidly funny and profoundly human.

Maxence Vincent, Loud and Clear Reviews

Simultaneously satisfyingly tragic and hilarious.

Jonathan Holland, Screen International