El baile y el salón

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Note of intent

In this film, all of our main characters are over 70 years old, yet they face the same problems teenagers do: Their families tell them what to do, their nursing home has a curfew and they’re even re-exploring their sexuality. Between the doldrums of San José’s middle class neighborhoods and the excitement of the ballroom, Eugenio will face his prejudices, his ego and dismays. I strongly believe dancing is an expression of freedom, and with this in mind, Eugenio will discover it’s never too late to pursue happiness by setting himself free.

Synopsis

Eugenio Miranda, a 72 year old and former soccer player, is locked in a nursing home by his family against his will. Bitter because he never won a trophy, he finds an opportunity to redeem himself in a dance tournament for the elderly. Along with his dance partner Carmen, Eugenio struggles to learn the rhythms of salsa, cumbia and bolero. When Carmen unexpectedly dies on the dance floor, Eugenio makes a radical decision and starts rehearsing with their dance instructor, Daniel — a homosexual man in his 70s. Getting close to a gay man bothers Eugenio at first, but he soon realizes that with Daniel, they have a real shot at winning. As Eugenio’s family attempts to keep him out of the competition, Eugenio faces their prejudices and his own, determined to finally lift a trophy.

Visual concept

This film is a hybrid of fiction and reality with non-professional actors bringing out their uniqueness in a story that straddles drama and comedy. The neighborhood is a place with worn textures, faded colors and with a musty smell; drawn by the natural light and chiaroscuro, while the ballroom glitters. The protagonists move with tropical rhythms: colorful songs contrasting with heartbreaking lyrics. The filmmaking combines tripod with camera in hand that accompanies the movement as they re-appropriate their tired bodies and break free through dance.