Mexico’s half-forgotten B-movie master, “involuntary surrealist” Juan Orol (1897–1988), receives a pitch-perfect tribute in this deft, irresistible love letter to a self-made man of showbiz whose career spanned half a century and nearly 60 films. Abetted by an all-pro cast, del Amo’s brilliant interpretation of Orol’s life exudes a droll underdog charm, and almost every frame is an infectious homage to the golden age of cinema, the wiles of memory, and the art of fantasy.

In a world devoured by an invisible force known as disenchantment, the stories of three characters intertwine: Diego, who tries to make a movie about the dreams of Ximena, an adolescent experiencing her sexual awakening, who is secretly in love with him and who, in order to help him in his bizarre project, leads him to Ainda, a conceptual artist with bat wings, with whom the naïve filmmaker falls madly in love. Ainda is attracted by the purity of the young people and seduces them both, which leads to a magical moment in the lives of all three. But soon the young people discover that their beloved harpy’s heart belongs to a being from beyond the grave. Then the idyllic relationship of the three characters begins to crumble and they do everything in their power to prevent it, as the dark force of disenchantment closes over the city.

A blend of documentary and fiction about the death of Simón Otaola.

Once upon a time there was a couple who hid their emotions, until one day chance knocked on their door.