Divorced, troubled, middle-aged, with a serious drinking problem? Or a great poet, university historian, aficionado and scholar of the Colombian poet José Asunción Silva? When sadness, melancholy, and the weight of an unfulfilled life close in on the once-promising Óscar, he takes a job as a schoolteacher. There he meets Yurlady, a gifted student who writes beautiful poems, and encourages her to take part in a poetry festival. Obsessed with verse, Óscar is a true knight of literature – a type of character rarely found in contemporary cinema. In this bittersweet and comic story, the poet stumbles through misadventures until he realizes that possessing a talent does not necessarily mean one must cultivate it. Sometimes the purpose of life is simply to live it.
Colombian director Simón Mesa Soto, working with 16mm film, masterfully navigates the borders between drama, comedy, and absurdity, addressing themes of unfulfilled life, the desire to improve, art and bohemia, performative altruism, and family relations. With its wit and wisdom, A Poet premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard section, where it won the Jury Prize.
Director:
Simón Mesa Soto
Actors:
Ubeimar Rios, Rebeca Andrade, Guillermo Cardona, Allison Correa
Year:
2025
Country:
CO, DE, SE
Language:
ES
Subtitles:
LV, EN
