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That Was Life

Name: That Was Life
Director: David Martín de los Santos
Released: 2020
Duration: 109 min

Representation Score

8.9/10

Excellent

2020

Director

David Martín de los Santos

Runtime

109 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

That Was Life is a sophisticated character study that centers on the intersection of age, gender, and migration. By focusing on the lived experiences of those who are often left out, the film challenges conventional Western narratives of stability and belonging. The story effectively uses the migrant experience to provide social commentary. It positions the subjective truths of the aging woman and the young immigrant as the central axis of the narrative. While the film excels in exploring gender and cultural depth, it remains somewhat ambiguous regarding specific identities. It relies more on thematic exploration of displacement than explicit representation of specific groups.

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Category Breakdown

Does That Was Life have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film explores unique interpersonal connections that challenge traditional social structures. It prioritizes emotional intimacy over traditional domestic frameworks, suggesting a departure from assumptions about straight relationships.

How does That Was Life portray gender?

Good

The narrative centers entirely on the lived experiences of women across different generations. It disrupts patriarchal hierarchies by making female intellect and companionship the primary drivers of the plot.

How racially and ethnically diverse is That Was Life?

Good

Migration themes highlight the movement of people across borders and the nuances of the diaspora. The story emphasizes the shared struggles of displaced individuals navigating European institutions.

How does That Was Life represent religion and culture?

Good

The film engages with moral relativism and the deconstruction of established life principles. It offers a nuanced view of Western economic structures through the lens of searching for roots.

Does That Was Life include disability representation?

Fair

The hospital setting introduces themes of physical vulnerability and the systemic management of the body. The narrative explores the fragility of personal ability to act within a clinical environment.

Present on Screen

Strong focus on women's ability to act and intergenerational companionship.
Nuanced exploration of the migrant experience and diaspora.
Sophisticated deconstruction of established moral and social principles.

Limited or Absent

Lack of explicit detail regarding specific LGBTQ+ identities.
Limited information regarding specific character disabilities beyond the clinical setting.

Official Synopsis

Two Spanish women from different generations find themselves sharing a hospital room in Belgium. María has been living there for decades after emigrating when she was young and Verónica is a young girl recently arrived in search of opportunities she never found in Spain. A strange friendship is forged between them and this leads María to set out on a return journey to the south of Spain with an unusual mission. What begins as a search for Verónica's roots will become an opportunity to open herself up to the world and question certain principles on which she had based her life.

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