Coming-of-age films usually tell the story of a young man or woman trying to find their way into adult life by trial and error. With Las herederas (The Heiresses), Paraguayan director Marcelo Martinessi chose a completely different approach: his protagonist is a middle-aged woman. The unusual starting point combined with Ana Brun’s excellent lead performance has earned the film several awards, including three at this year’s Berlinale.
MARCELO MARTINESSI (1973, Paraguay) is a director and screenwriter. He studied at the Catholic University of Asunción and the London Film School. His shorts have screened at the Berlinale and Clermont Ferrand, among others. La voz perdida won Best Short Film in Venice in 2016. Las herederas picked up the FIPRESCI Prize, Silver Bear for Best Actress and Alfred Bauer Prize at Berlin International Film Festival 2018.