Olga (Teresita Sánchez) has a small fly problem in her apartment, but it’s not a big concern – it’s negligible enough that she can still rent a room to Tulio (Hugo Ramírez). He smuggles his son Cristian (Bastian Escobar) in the room, which makes her kick them out. Tulio asks for a week to relocate. Meanwhile, Cristian is looking for his mother at the hospital. He can charm the workers at the hospital where his mom is but Olga’s harder to crack.
Fernando Eimbcke’s latest film Flies is a battle of wills between two main characters – Olga and Cristian. But even before it gets to that part, it builds the film’s separate worlds that collide eventually. The setup for Olga’ corner of urban Mexico, showing her as only grumpy half the time. Cristian and Tulio’s world is one with contradictions, with Tulio being the best dad for Christian. Olga serves as a reminder of the realities in the family’s world where money problems and limits exist.
Flies captures its story of families of blood and of choosing through the good old cinematic elements. The black and white cinematography somehow evokes Tati while simultaneously making this world seem contemporary, organic. The arcade game Space Invaders is one of the motifs which it incorporates in wonderful ways. Sound design is also here for great, memorable comedic effect like Olga’s neighbours having loud sex. The opposite of that is Cristian’s yelling, which is annoying but not in the way that makes him unsympathetic.
- Rated: All
- Genre: Comedy, Drama
- Release Date: 9/16/2026
- Directed by: Fernando Eimbcke
- Starring: Bastián Escobar, Teresa Sánchez
- Produced by: Fernando Eimbcke, Michel Franco
- Written by: Fernando Eimbcke, Vanesa Garnica
- Studio: Eficine, Kinotitlán, Teorema
