Discovering another indie foreign film this month, Goat Girl (La Nina de la Cabra) offers an unusual coming of age story that emits some endearing wonderment. Taking us to Madrid, Spain, we are nestled in a high rise area where we find an inquisitive young pre-teen playing out some very trying life decisions. The film features a fine cast of actors and very good directing that makes the creative storyline work.
Elena (Alessandra Gonzalez), is an eight-year-old that has a lot on her mind dealing with grade school and about to receive her first holy communion. To top it all off, her grandmother, whom she loves the most in her young world, is fighting an illness. On one afternoon she observers Serezade (Juncal Fernandez), a girl about her age, dancing in the courtyard to music provided by a band of gypsies. Seeing the money being thrown to the troop of vagabonds Elena brings one of her dolls down to the girl. When things start going awry starting with her grandmother’s passing, her mother not dealing well because of it and questioning her religious faith, Elena runs away from home in pursuit of Serezade.
The story takes some twists along the way right up to the very end. In the meantime director and screenwriter Ana Asensio clouds her film with extras that are a bit trite, distracting and needless. What she does well however, is put together two munificent actors Alessandra Gonzalez and Juncal Fernandez who save the film. Showing a profound friendship develop between the two and each dealing with family, they will win you over.
Goat Girl has not rated by the MPA, but contains smoking and a scary dream sequence. The film has an avoidable flaw where Director Asensio chooses to make her audience resolve whether Elena follows her religious belief or grandma’s.
Additional Film Information:
Cast: Ana Asensio, Alessandra Gonzalez, Silvia Yagiie, Javier Pereira, Lorena Lopez
Directed and written by: Ana Asensio
Genre: Drama, Foreign, Spanish
Language: Spanish with English Subtitles
MPAA Rating: Not rated, no offensive material
Running Time: 1 hr. 35 min.
Opening Date: June 19th NYC
Released in: Select Theaters following an opening at New York’s Cinema Village
