ALCARRÀS

Film

Based on her experience of losing her parents to AIDS and being raised by relatives in the countryside, Carla Simón’s Summer 1993 was a searingly personal debut. Its visceral depiction of childhood aligned Simón with Hirokazu Koreeda and Céline Sciamma, masters of bringing children’s interior worlds to life.

Simón’s second feature, Alcarràs , shares Summer 1993 ’s rural Catalan setting and documentary-like naturalism. Both smuggle political themes into their domestic dramas, be it the AIDS epidemic and stigma towards those afflicted, or threats to farmers’ livelihoods. But while Summer 1993 was laser-focused on its child protagonist, Alcarràs zooms out, allowing us to spend time with three generations of the Solé family.

Alcarràs begins with the Solé children leading us from the fields, which double as their playground, into the family home. The adults sit around the table searching for deeds because landowner Pinyol wants to replace their peach orchards with solar panels. He permits the Solés one last summer harvest and offers them solar jobs, an offer which becomes a source of tension.

Alcarràs’ magic lies in its family dynamics, remarkably performed by its non-professional cast, and its unhurried pace. Although their eviction looms, the Solés’ day-to-day activities are given room to unfurl. Matriarch Dolors gossips around father-in-law Rogelio and daughter Mariona as though they’re not there, speaking to how both the elderly and teenagers are infantilised. The adults won’t let forgetful Rogelio drive his car anymore and scold him for taking fruit to Pinyol; actor Josep Abad evokes

Rogelio’s dementia with a toothy grin and a faraway look in his eyes. Son Roger secretly grows cannabis and dances at a gabber rave after a day of backbreaking work. Roger and his father Quimet spend the majority of the film at odds, their relationship finally thawing when they attend a farmers’ protest against supermarket lowballing. Their eyes meet as they chant and throw fruit, a poignant moment of two warring relatives finding commonality in struggle.

By showing African men looking for cashin-hand work in the town centre, Alcarrás acknowledges the precarity of migrant labourers. When Quimet dismisses some of his African fruit-pickers their undocumented status leaves them powerless to complain.

Alcarràs is an impressive ensemble film with performances that feel lived-in and a compelling central conflict about the Solés’ competing loyalties, to the land and to each other.

Alcarràs streams on Mubi from 24th February

Sophie Kindreich

Too Rough

Film

Content

Sean Lìonadh’s Too Rough balances cruelty with compassion, as a young man, Nick (Ruaridh Mollica), is unable to keep his dysfunctional family hidden from his boyfriend Charlie (Joshua Griffin) when he drunkenly lets him stay the night. This situation is one that many of us can relate to on varying levels, and the seed of this idea comes from Lìonadh’s own experience of sneaking a boy out of his family home, only to find his stepdad up a ladder at the front of the house. However, in this story, Lìonadh doesn’t focus on the escape but on a series of emotional overloads that showcase the strength of the couple’s love.

The story opens at a flat party populated by young people, hanging out and having fun, but one of them – Nick – stands out. He hovers by the door, anxious, and pours himself a drink, wishing the earth would swallow him whole. A head pops into frame and rests on Nick’s shoulder: it’s Charlie, Nick’s lover. He asks playfully: ‘Why are you always hiding from me?’ This is a loaded question that’s answered by the turbulent events that occur the following morning.

Nick wakes hungover, distraught to find Charlie lying next to him in his childhood bed. His abusive parents don’t know he’s gay and he fears their wrath. He pleads with Charlie to stay hidden in the bedroom as he desperately navigates his unpredictable family members.

The most dysfunctional of them is his alcoholic father, played by Kevin O’Loughlin, who bursts into the room, numb to any kind of emotional or physical boundary his child might need. Preceding this moment is one of the most well-choreographed and frankly hilarious parts of the film, in which milliseconds before the father’s entrance, Charlie rolls backwards off the bed and out of sight with ninja-like dexterity. It is moments like this that centre this film perfectly, as Lìonadh opens the viewer up to a world of cruelty and shame while acknowledging how moments of levity occur alongside extreme darkness.

Throughout Too Rough there is a constant air of crisis, fostered through the stellar performances and claustrophobic nature of the handheld cinematography, which opens up beautifully in the film’s last moments. We watch the two young men finally make it downstairs: they enter the living room and stare at Nick’s parents, collapsed in a drunken heap, surrounded by bottles and lit by a stream of fairy lights, no longer a threat to anyone. The camera then bounces back to the two boys; Nick sits on Charlie’s lap and they hold each other, bold in loving affection as they turn their gaze powerfully towards sleeping lions. Everything is calm – for now, and that is all that matters.

Too Rough was the winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival’s International Film Awards, and won Best British Short Film at the British Independent Film Awards 2022.

Snack Bits

February. The shortest month of the year and the home of Valentine’s Day. We adore a cash-in opportunity, so this month is for lovers… Lovers of new Scottish music, am I right?

And we don’t need conventional love when we’re always giving our hearts away to new acts, with Eat The Friek grabbing our attention. ‘Drinks Cabinet’ came out at the end of January (as was the case for those who endured Dry January), and it meets our need for off-kilter guitar indie. Lovers of Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever and even the almighty Parquet Courts will find a lot to like here. The single came with ‘Arrow’, which is even more out there, and we’re here for that.

Another thing which lifted our spirits in a trying month was the Green Door EP by Saint Sappho, especially the guitar solo on the opener ‘All She Ever Says’. ‘Broken Again’ drags you along like a strong undercurrent, while the titular track is moody and captivating. We were going to mention a Glasgow gig lined up for February, but on checking before print, their name has dropped off the bill. If you like the sound of them, research their socials yourself to stay informed!

With the title ‘Rain From The East’, we know what Amy May Ellis feels about her single. Released on the Lost Map PostMap Club venture, it’s a world-weary yet achingly beautiful little number. If you’re feeling delicate, stick this on and know you’re not alone.

Gossiper were one of our favourite new acts in this mould in 2022, so it’s great news they’re back early in 2023 with another couple of blinding tracks. ‘Army Knife’ is as sharp as the name suggests, with a strutting backing underplaying plaintive vocals. ‘Maude’ follows on neatly and perhaps with even better melodies. This is a cracking act; if they maintain their form, we’ll never stop banging the drum for them.

With the ‘Expectations’ single, Rosie H Sullivan has certainly lifted expectations for her February EP 123° East. If it follows on with more sweet melancholy, it’ll introduce the Isle of Lewis songwriter to a broader audience and will be well deserved.

Along similar lines is ‘Faking It’ by Bee Asha featuring Nathaniel Cartier. It’s a smooth track with a good flow, although spoken word sections are always a matter of personal opinion. On the whole, it glides by easily, and that sax solo jazzes things up nicely.

And you can take things even higher with Arkley, who once again brings the 90s dance floor to the streaming environment. We loved the Origins EP last year, and Channel A, released on 10th February, sounds like more of a good thing. Opening track ‘Pray For Rave’ sounds like a forgotten smash, but so does ‘So Good’. Look, whether you lived it or simply love uplifting dance music that wants to have a good time, you get everything you need and more here.

Glasgow band Lariats have teamed up with their songwriting pal Becca Jane, who some of you might recall from Glass Raspberry, to release ‘The Reason’ on 10th February. It’s slow and soulful, with a slight trip-hop feel and belting vocals, so there are a few reasons to check it out.

If you yearn for some techno, we also have you covered. We’re certainly not early to the party on Scottish DJ Esfi, with her uncompromising mix of techno, electro and breaks, but it’s better to be late than never. Her SoundCloud page lets you delve into her style, and a set at McChuills on 10th February seems the perfect setting to see what’s coming next.

And we’ll bow out this month with a nod to David Crosby. He could fight and moan, but boy, that cat could sing. Some of the finest songwriters of all time found their work elevated to a significantly higher level with David’s beautiful style. And he knew The Doors had no groove, so you can’t fault his reviewing skills – which you might not say for us, but we’ll see you in March!