The Heiresses

Chela (Ana Brun) spends her days at home painting. She has her habits and rituals, the rhythm of which is followed more closely by the feisty and stubborn Chiquita (Margarita Irún). Although the two women have been a couple for decades, they have learned to hide their relationship from the prying eyes of Paraguay's conservative society. When they end up in financial trouble, however, their lives are turned upside down, and even the sale of their precious home furnishings, a symbol of their place among the Paraguayan elite, isn't enough to maintain the status quo. Chiquita ends up in debtors' prison, and Chela, who had been withdrawn up to this point, is forced to break out of her shell and face the outside world she has been avoiding for years. Following her, we see how this calm, intimate story begins to boil over with emotions. Written for a mostly female cast, The Heiresses was a big hit at this year's Berlinale, winning the Alfred Bauer Prize for a film that "opens new perspectives on cinematic art," as well as the Silver Bear for Ana Brun's wonderful performance.