Carmen

Synopsis

Carmen (2023) delves into familial themes of intergenerational trauma and the tensions that arise when traditional mother-daughter roles are reversed. Set in Miami in 2002, the film follows 21-year-old Lazara as she navigates a chaotic relationship with her manic-depressive mother, Carmen. While Lazara attempts to assert her independence, she is continually drawn into her mother’s unstable world, shaped by the lingering effects of domestic violence. Carmen’s unpredictable behavior disrupts Lazara’s fragile autonomy, dragging her into dangerous situations, such as transporting prescription drugs hidden in children’s toys. As Lazara’s life begins to unravel, the film moves beyond the personal, exposing deeper systemic fractures within family structures. Brache delves into the emotional and psychological complexities of these role inversions, using Carmen as a critical lens to examine how family dynamics are shaped and strained by broader social and cultural forces. - Amant