The Island Inside

Colour, 35 mm
Spain, 2009, 93 min
Section: Another View

Synopsis

The successful directing duo from the Canary Islands set their sixth picture in the intimately familiar environment of Las Palmas. This time they have chosen the complicated theme of mental illness and its destructive impact on the family: "In many movies, the characters change or overcome a certain phase. We wanted to tell a story about those who are unable to change: the things we inherit from our families sometimes become insurmountable obstacles preventing us from fulfilling our own ideas about life.” Siblings Gracia, Martín, and Coral are the children of a schizophrenic. Their father’s genetic legacy is exacerbated by the strict and moralistic upbringing they received from their mother (Geraldine Chaplin). Each of them strives to fight off the curse they have inherited in their own way. Fear of madness, rejection, and loneliness isolates the siblings from the surrounding world and from each other. Only their father’s approaching death compels them to abandon their internal islands where, like castaways, they find themselves in spiritual isolation, and to understand that they must face their unendurable birthright together.

About the director

Dunia Ayaso and Félix Sabroso studied film on the Canary Islands, and in Madrid and New York. They started their professional careers as TV writers in Madrid. In 1994 they wrote, shot, and produced their independent feature debut Fea. In 1997 the comedy Excuse Me Darling, But Lucas Loved Me took Best Screenplay at the Valencia Festival, and the movie went on to become their first box office success. Their next film, Shout Out (1998), took part in festivals in Miami, Los Angeles, Tokyo, and Denver. Then followed their comedy Chill Out! (2003), which found its way into distribution in 30 countries. The TV series "Women” (2006), achieved great success with viewers and critics alike. Then followed Rated R (2007). The Island Inside was shot from their own screenplay.