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The Ivy film image; woman combing a man's hair

The Ivy

Hiedra

Panorama

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North American Premiere

Azucena seeks to reconnect with her 18-year-old son, Julio, whom she abandoned at an orphanage after giving birth to him at age 13. The pull is undeniable as the two find their way back into each other’s lives, but unresolved issues loom.

Fresh off the film’s premiere in Venice Film Festival’s Horizons section, Ana Cristina Barragán returns to VIFF with this haunting follow-up to her sophomore feature Octopus Skin (VIFF 2023), continuing to explore the murky waters of parental attachment and push the boundaries of familial intimacy. Her knack for working with young casts of largely non-actors is as astute as ever, eliciting raw performances that saturate the screen with rare emotional immediacy. Relying on semi-choreographed, non-verbal dynamics and dreamy visual textures, she lures the viewer in a state of dramatic suspension, masterfully balancing moments of restraint with those of absolute abandon.

 

Best Screenplay: Orizzonti, Venice 2025

 

Community Partner

 

Director
Cast

Simone Bucio, Francis Eddú Llumiquinga

Credits
Country of Origin

Ecuador/Mexico/France/Spain

Year

2025

Language

In Spanish with English subtitles

Film Contact
Links
18+
98 min
Award Winners Drama Family Relations Women Directors

Book Tickets

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Credits & Director

Executive Producer

Oderay Game

Producer

Joe Houlberg Silva, Alex de Icaza, Gabriela Maldonado, Montse Pujol Solà, Thierry Leunovel

Screenwriter

Ana Cristina Barragán

Cinematography

Adrian Durazo

Editor

Gerard Borràs, Omar Guzmán, Ana Cristina Barragán

Original Music

Claudia Baulies

Ana Cristina Barragán headshot

Ana Cristina Barragán

Ana Cristina Barragán is a screenwriter and director. Her debut, Alba (2016), won over 35 awards and was Ecuador’s Oscar submission. Her second feature, The Octopus Skin (2022), premiered at San Sebastián. It won six Colibrí Awards and was part of the 2024 Platino Awards. The Ivy (2025) is her third feature and premiered at Venice.

Filmography: Alba (2016); Octopus Skin (2022)

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