Movies that pay homage to cinema are popular it can practically be a genre all its own, and it’s one I am always drawn to. The Movie Teller encompasses the love of movies and the transformative power of motion pictures and storytelling.

Set in the mid-1960s in a mining town in Chile’s Atacama Desert, we see María Margarita (Alondra Valenzuela), the youngest sibling and the only daughter in the family as an avid movie fan. That love for cinema runs in the family as María Magnolia (Bérénice Bejo), dad Medardo (Antonio de la Torre), and her three brothers all love going to the movies. They’d dress up in their Sunday best to worship at the altar of cinema. Merdardo would utter a Christian phrase, not from his Bible reading but from watching The 10 Commandments, ha! They enjoy various genres of movies but have a special affinity for Westerns like The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance starring their idol John Wayne.

The movie experience doesn’t end there as the kids would re-tell the story once they get home, creatively recreating the scenes for the entire family. Young Maria proves to be the most gifted storyteller of them all, which proves essential after her dad loses her job after a tragic accident. The townsfolk love cinema as an escape from their harsh lives in drought-stricken town and they’re willing to pay Maria to relive the movies or ‘experience’ them vicariously through her if they can’t afford to go.

Fittingly, director Lone Scherfig mixes various genres in telling the story, starting out with a comedic tone as the family is in happier times but getting darker as the family’s circumstances become more dire. It also briefly touches upon the volatile Chilean politics with the rise of the authoritarian Pinochet regime in the third act that separates the family. It may seem odd that Danish filmmaker Scherfig tackles a story set in South America, most moviegoers might be familiar with her films set in Britain (An Education, One Day, Their Finest), but the theme of female strength and women overcoming adversity is right on her wheelhouse.

Based on Chilean author Hernan Rivera Letelier’s 2009 novel, the script is adapted to the screen by Isabel Coixet, Rafa Russo, and Walter Salles. I find the movie’s first half the most engrossing thanks to 11-year-old Valenzuela’s adorable performance. The tone shifts midway through to something more somber, which doesn’t always feel seamless, as Bejo’s character makes a dramatic decision that affects the family. There’s also a mystery vibe involving the mine’s German manager Hauser who clearly has eyes for María Magnolia. It can also be unsettling given Hauser is played by Daniel Brühl, a terrific actor skilled at playing villains and morally complex characters. His relationship with Maria Margarita intrigues me, but I wish the film explored it more deeply.

Though I’m not always fond of films relying on VO as exposition, it actually works well here with adult Maria Margarita (Sara Becker) narrating the story because it’s told from her point of view. At the heart of The Movie Teller is a coming-of-age tale of a formidable young woman who manages to survive and thrive in challenging times. Becker plays the character as much more subdued and introspective than the younger version, but her defiance is captivating. Her view of the world, especially concerning her love life, is certainly affected by what her mother tells her in a pivotal moment, which is to take control of one’s own life.

There is a lot going on in this film and at times the energy is unsteady. The political scene in the end feels a bit jarring, perhaps it’s intentional because the country’s drastic shift also hits the characters out of left field so they’re just as discombobulated as the viewers.

While the movie is not perfect, there are plenty of things to love and appreciate in The Movie Teller. The international cast is terrific all around, notably Bejo who’s got such a star quality, that she’s immensely watchable even if we don’t always find her character sympathetic. I wish she’d been in more films since her big break in The Artist. Love the buoyant score by Fernando Velazquez and dramatic cinematography by Daniel Aranyó. Filming it on location in the Atacama Desert with most of the dialog spoken in Spanish adds a great deal of authenticity to the story.

The finale ties the protagonist’s life story with the power of cinema wonderfully in an emotional way without being mawkish. This is the kind of movie that’s meant to be seen on the big screen with fellow movie fans, especially at a film festival!

Have you seen The Movie Teller? Let me know what you think!

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