Return To Ithaca
5.0 out of 5.0 stars
Centred round a reunion of a group of fifty-something friends in Havana, Laurent Cantet’s Return To Ithaca is an intensely moving depiction of secrets laid bare and skeletons uncloseted. Taking place over one night, it’s anchored around its five central and beautiful performances, as the embittered citizens of the socialist island in the Caribbean who can’t help but reproach their lifelong friend Amadeo for leaving 16 years ago. With a sparkling script penned by Cantet, Return To Ithaca is a deft and sensitive state of the nation of modern Cuba – the rich yes men with their hands dirty, the younger generation fleeing in droves and the broken people in their wake. But as the friends dance, laugh, bicker and cry, there emerges a life-affirming portrait of the unshakeable beauty of friendship.
Return To Ithaca is showing on Oct 10th & 13th at the 58th BFI London Film Festival
