Clara Sola 2022

In a secluded Costa Rican village, Clara, portrayed by Wendy Chinchilla Araya, embarks on a journey of self-discovery and sexual awakening at the age of forty, following decades of repression. Living with her overbearing mother and her late sister’s daughter, Maria, played by Ana Julia Porras Espinoza, Clara has dedicated her life to taking care of Yuca, a horse that seems to respond only to her. As Maria approaches her fifteenth birthday, she starts a romance with a young man named Santiago, who is portrayed by Daniel Castañeda Rincón.

Clara is physically limited by a curvature of the spine, yet her mother refuses to allow her to undergo surgery, which would be covered by insurance. Instead, her mother insists Clara must remain as God created her, treating her like a child and attempting to repress any joy or sexual feelings. This includes cruel methods, such as applying chili peppers to Clara’s fingers, making any act of masturbation a painful experience, while firmly asserting that such desires are sinful. In her youth, Clara was believed to have been visited by the Blessed Virgin Mary, gaining a reputation as a mystic and faith healer, often called upon to bless those in need in a room adorned with shrines and seating for visitors. Clara has the unique ability to know the secret names of animals and people, a gift that adds to her mystical allure.

As the narrative unfolds, Clara develops a friendship with Santiago, feelings stirring within her as she witnesses the intimate moments between him and Maria. Overwhelmed by her own repressed desires, she escapes to the forest one night, seeking pleasure, only to return to find her mother fervently praying for her sexual feelings to be eradicated. Following a painful moment where her mother burns herself on a candle, tensions rise when she attempts to sell Yuca to fund Maria’s upcoming quinceañera. Defending her bond with the horse, Clara sends Yuca away and later shares a vulnerable moment bathing in the river with Santiago, during which she reveals her secret name: Sola.

The quinceañera arrives, filled with drama as Clara learns of a dead mare found in the river. Dazed and confused, she attempts to kiss Santiago, who pushes her away with surprising force, leading to a chaotic scene at the party further disrupted by a minor earthquake. In the aftermath, overwhelmed by emotions, Clara sets fire to the shrine within her home, watching the Madonna burn amidst her turmoil. Fleeing as the fire spreads through the house, her family believes she has perished inside. Clara escapes to the river where her transformative moments with Santiago took place. In a striking moment of restoration, she feels a shift in her spine, as if returning to its rightful place, and encounters Yuca in the forest gazing back at her. As the scene shifts to a quiet river bend, the screen fades to black, leaving Clara’s fate hanging in the balance.