Daniel and Ana

Based on real events, writer and director Michel Franco’s first feature film is a shocking drama that takes place in Mexico City. Three months before her wedding, Ana and her 16-year-old brother, Daniel, are abducted at gunpoint. The kidnappers are part of an underground porn ring, and they force the siblings to have sex with each other for their cameras. When the two are finally released, they tell no one – not even their family – what happened. Tracing the lasting psychological damage of the traumatic event, Franco’s film takes us into some unexpected terrain.

Executed with great sensitivity and restraint, “Daniel and Ana” never attempts to manipulate our emotions with heavy-handed musical cues or close-ups. Instead, deeply rooted in naturalism, it lets the drama of the situation speak for itself. With its intense focus on the two siblings - never letting the audience know more than the two lead characters - Franco has created a claustrophobic and deeply disturbing drama.
ASHLEY SMITH

Cast
Dario Yazbek Bernal, Marimar Vega, Chema Torre: Producer
Daniel Birman Ripstein: Script
Michel Franco: Cinematography
Chuy Chávez: Subtitle
English