Wandering Heart

Leonardo Brzezicki's 2021 Argentine film follows Santiago, raising his daughter alone. After a bitter separation his daughter Laila is also about to leave home, and the fear of being alone makes his behaviour increasingly unstable. The subject is a parent leaning on his child. Santiago treats Laila as a friend, and that closeness at times expects of her a responsibility she cannot carry; the narrative does not judge it openly but shows the consequences. Leonardo Sbaraglia leads. The nightlife of Buenos Aires, parties and passing relationships sit inside the narrative; the camera stays close to Santiago and the pace is irregular. The final section is not tied to a crisis scene. Who it's for: those who like Latin American cinema and queer family narratives. Who it's not for: viewers expecting a sympathetic lead; the film shows him as intolerable at times.