Heroes

Pau Freixas's 2010 Catalan film runs on two time frames. In the present, a successful but hollowed-out advertising man trying to reach an important meeting falls into conversation with a woman he meets, and the talk takes him back to his childhood. In the past, a group of friends come together at the end of a summer to build a hut and give themselves a purpose. The film builds the childhood section in convincing detail: the hierarchy in the group, the excluded boy, first love and the weight of secrets. The present-day section is weaker and leans on nostalgia. At the core is an event the group has kept hidden, which the film holds back for the end. It drew a wide audience in Spain. The tone is emotional and aimed squarely at the viewer. Who it's for: viewers who like nostalgic films about childhood. Who it's not for: anyone wanting to avoid emotional effect; the film uses it openly.